Author's Note: I know I'm very late for the Moana fandom, but I just had to post this or never post it at all. Imagine the scenes occurring in the movie in between sequences following Moana, it will make better sense if you do.
Disclaimer: Did we ever see how the island handled the growing food shortage while Moana was returning the Heart to Te Fiti? If not, all rights to Moana belong to Walt Disney Pictures.
0-0
It started with the coconuts. Ripping one open would expose the black, rotten meat inside. Tui frowned at this, several plausible reasons for why this has happened.
Poor soil. A disease, maybe. And I am certain that there are more than a few bugs around, spreading sickness. The Darkness could be generations from now.
"What will we do?" One of the women asked, holding the rotten coconut in her hands.
His daughter, Moana, looked at the coconut with a thoughtful expression. She had inherited his mother's hair and her mother's face; skin as tan as the coconuts they eat every day, her brown hair reaching halfway down her back.
"We will tear down the old trees and grow a new patch…over there." She pointed to a small clearing where the trees were green and fresh.
Tui smiled. He picked up on the quiver in her voice and how it grew in confidence in such a few short moments. He could remember how he acted when his father began to slowly give power to him, Tui was certain that he froze when facing his first major dilemma.
His smile fell when the fishermen came with empty nets…
0-0
Tui tore at a loose branch, feeling it crack! and snap! in his grip. With a final tug, he now had two branches in his hand and tossed them into the sand like spears. He scowled and began to take deep breaths.
She was using the food shortages as an excuse to push that crazy obsession of hers onto the other villagers! She's almost a woman and still sees the world as a child. Gods, how am I to knock sense into Moana if she will not listen?
"She wasn't trying to use the circumstances to her advantage, Tui." A voice spoke softly from behind. Tui turned to see his beloved, Sina, walking up to the sandy beach and kneeled beside him.
Tui scowled at the ocean shore, letting a cool hand touch his shoulder with the most delicate care. "How can she become Chief if she doesn't let go of that –"
"Funny, how you fail to see what you have in common with her." He knew she was smiling, though he did not see it. Sina always smiled when speaking gently to someone. "I found her in a similar position as your own not too long ago."
"Stewing in her anger, I suppose." Tui scoffed.
"Moana was concerned for the village, not her dream." Sina scolded. "Where did she use the word, 'I', when making her argument?"
Tui's next response never made it to his lips. But he found his voice again. "Being a leader means knowing how to make the village want what you want. My grandfather first issued the rule when people began vanishing, of course there was protest. But he presented what was their way of life as a curse, and slowly convinced every man, woman, and child the same. My father's job was much easier…"
Except…
"Apparently, I taught Moana too well." Tui concluded. He turned to Sina, noticing her frown. "You didn't just come here to discuss the argument earlier, did you."
Sina shook her head. "It's the elders. They are reaching the same conclusions that Moana has."
Tui's nostrils flared. "Then a council must be held. Tonight."
0-0
The council was a disaster.
"More trees are dying."
"We'll plant new trees, tear down the old ones." Tui said, wishing for a moment that Moana was by his side. She was supposed to attend the council meetings annually, but no one had found her all day. There was a small hope within his chest that told him that maybe she would be able to sway the villagers to his way of thinking to make amends for her outburst earlier.
"How many trees would remain after that?" Ipo asked.
"There have been hard times before." Tui insisted. "This will pass just like before."
"What about fish?" Another, Kimo, spoke up. "Our nets catch none. It is as if they vanished."
Tui sighed. He had already asked about changing fishing spots and was met with the automatic reply that the entire island had been checked. He knew that they were wrong. There had to be fish…
"WE WERE VOYAGERS!" An elated cry came from the front of the tent. Tui felt his face grow hot, his breath starting to quicken. He tried to master his emotions, but they would not respond to his wishes. His face growing hotter, Moana's exuberant cries that they could "bring back the Heart" – was this the source of her desire to leave the island?! – and that they had to find a being of myth to set things right.
As Moana continued talking, her voice rising in confidence as she spoke, Tui slowly stood up and made his way out of the tent, his expression stony as he passed his daughter.
"I will not be having this discussion!" Tui snapped, storming out of the hut while Moana followed a moment later. He would burn the boats if it meant keeping everyone safe. No one who left the island would be able to return alive.
0-0
He entered the hut with a heavy heart, trying to understand the light he saw flying from the hut and towards the sea. Tui had felt his mother breathe her last and blacked out, somehow getting himself back home to see Sina looking at him fearfully.
Tui didn't see Moana in the hut. The tears in Sina's eyes were another blow to him.
"Moana…" He had no strength to yell, to cry out, to express. He felt hollowed out and drained.
0-0
They couldn't harvest the coconuts anymore.
They had tried harvesting from other trees untouched for some time, only to find the same result. Rotting meat that bore the same color of hot ash and charcoal.
People began to talk.
"What do we do?"
"Would planting new trees help?"
"And what of the fish?"
"No sign of them for days now."
"This can't be a coincidence…"
"What have we done to anger the gods?"
"Perhaps if we tried going beyond the –"
"No," Tui said with finality.
"Then what do you propose instead, Chief?" One of the elders, Kaipo, spat out.
"We must obey the rule. No one leaves the island!" Tui started to become aggravated. He hoped that this matter would be resolved for the time being, but he felt his blood run cold as Kaipo turned on him with a hateful expression.
Tui thought that with Moana gone, order would be restored to the village.
He was wrong. Order had gone with her instead…
"The rule is slowly killing us, you fool!" Kaipo screeched loudly in Tui's face. "We have a better chance with the ocean than on this wasteland!"
No! Tui thought. No one should leave, lest they perish. I lost my best friend to the ocean. Voyagers have vanished, never to return. I refuse to let this fate befall my people.
Another in the crowd shouted. "He's right. Why should we stay here if there is little to eat?!"
More cries of protest, Tui tried shouting over them, but the crowd persisted and pushed back, anger in their eyes. Sina stepped in front of him and held her arms out.
"Everyone, please! I understand your frustration. We must be strong –"
"How?!" One of the younger fishers, Pekelo, demanded. "We have little food, barely any fresh water left –"
"– there are no fish in the reef and our boats are badly damaged –"
" – I say we take our chances with the ocean!"
Shouts in agreement.
"NO!" Tui bellowed. "No one leaves! That is the rule!"
"May the gods curse that rule as they have cursed you, Tui!" Pekelo said spitefully. "What other option do we have? Leaving is our only chance!"
Tui slowly stepped back, frightened. The island as cursed as he was?
Of course, he was cursed. He had lost his mother, and his daughter around the same time. He couldn't help but think of his last words to her. Of how foolish she was behaving…
Tui turned around and slowly walked away in defeat, ignoring the angry cries from the villagers. Weeks had passed and he had scared away their only hope for survival. All because he let his pride get the better of him…
0-0
Sina had found him near the dying fauna some time later, looking over the land that his father and his father's father had ruled with no issues. The land that he had failed to protect.
"I wish I never mocked her." Tui sighed. "I wish I never yelled at her…I just…"
His best friend writhing, desperately paddling up in vain towards the surface. The fight was already lost, he was weakened by the crash…
For a moment, he saw Moana writhing underwater, screaming for help that would never come…
Tui brushed a wilted leaf and sighed. "…perhaps…perhaps the people will have a better chance with a new leader…"
Sina placed a hand on his shoulder. "We will get through this. I know it. The gods will not abandon us in our time of need."
Perhaps they have… Tui thought. But why should I tell you such things? You deserve better.
Pua, Moana's pet pig, strutted over and leaned his soft head against Tui's ankle. He appreciated the gesture from the piglet. A decision would be made, sooner rather than later. Tomorrow, someone else would take his place and make the calls. And if the decision was to leave the island, Tui would listen. Perhaps Montunui was never meant for an extended stay…Moana…my only child…my last words with you…do you hate me for condemning the people of Montunui to death? Are you thinking of us now? In your dreams? In your heart?
His hand brushed up against something waxy, cool to the touch. Tui turned his head, blinking as if the image would vanish. The green leaf he was touching was there, fresh and untouched by the Darkness. His feet no longer stood on dry grass, the skin feeling the same soft texture he was used to feeling as he walked around the village each day.
Tui looked around, bewildered at what he was seeing. Sina gasped and let out a happy cry. Green was overcoming the dark shade the greenery took, the smell of rotting fruit vanishing, the air becoming cooler once more. Flowers bloomed, Tui crouched down to touch a pink one closest to him delicately, as if it would become black and wilted again. Sina crouched beside him, staring at the sight in wonder.
Moana.
Just then, his ears perked up at his wife's gasp, slowly turning his head to see her racing to the shore. When he saw who it was, he quickly stood up and ran as fast as he could onto the beach. Out on the horizon, coming closer to the brightly colored reef was a boat. He raced down the village, going past the bewildered villagers who were staring at the rejuvenated greenery, finally reaching the beach as the boat came in, with a young woman standing and controlling the sails. The moment the boat touched the sand, she jumped out and raced towards Sina and Tui.
"Mom! Dad!"
Tui engulfed his wife and daughter in a tighter hug, his eyes tightly shut. He resisted the urge to rub them, refusing to acknowledge the tears that were threatening to spill. His daughter was here, she was safe, the island was restored.
The prophesy fulfilled.
He finally released them from his embrace and looked into his daughter's eyes, trying to figure out how to say it. His throat tight and his eyes hot, Tui bit his lip as Moana fidgeted a little.
"I might have gone a little ways past the reef…" She said with a nervous smile.
Tui grunted, a small smile on his face. He said hoarsely, thankful that he didn't collapse to the ground and thank the deities. "It suits you."
He heard the sounds of the villagers coming closer, their jubilant shouts in greeting to Moana, their savior, their new chief. People scrambled to embrace her, to touch her, to see her.
Starting tonight. Tui thought with a smile. The village will take the first step towards a new future. Where Moana will lead us, I will follow her as well.
0-0
Author's Note: I was really bugged with how the film didn't exactly resolve Tui's issues with the ocean. I know Moana and Maui needed the focus, but I wish that there were a few scenes back on the island, if not to just show us something different, but at least show the audience how the situation was being handled under Tui's rule. Then again, this was a movie for kids and I am certain that the kids would have been scared similar to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
Besides, we never see how Tui just handed over his leadership to Moana, just a final scene where he is voyaging with her and many others and the implication that she was leading the way. His acceptance of Moana leaving and proving him wrong didn't exactly feel cathartic to me. I understand his fears, but it also got in the way of reason – which really wasn't called out on in the film directly, much to my irritation, so I lost sympathy for him because of that.
Otherwise, this film is visually stunning with an authentic score by the Lin-Manuel Miranda. I hope you all enjoyed it. Be sure to review.
In the writing world, I will see you.