What if the Dead in Raya and the Last Dragon Never Resurrected?
An Alternate Ending for Raya and the Last Dragon
I really enjoyed Raya and the Last Dragon, Disney’s latest animation movie. I loved the nuanced characters: Raya and her issues with trust, Namaari and her inner conflict with loyalty to her family and choosing the morally right path (reminding me of Draco Malfoy), and of course the silly yet wise and intuitive Sisu who learns a few lessons herself regarding naivete. I loved being immersed in the beautifully animated environments of the different tribes, all doing justice to the various Southeast Asian lands they drew inspiration from. Lastly, I loved the anger and rage shown by Raya during a critical moment in the movie. It was unexpectedly satisfying to see a female Disney character react to a build-up of mistrust in a blinding rage, handled in a serious and non-comedic way.
After the movie, a friend mentioned that he wished that the stone people would have stayed statues and been an example for all the other tribes. His comment got me wondering about the ending of Raya, and if the issues between Raya and Namaari were really resolved. The resurrection of everyone’s loved ones did seem like an easy out for Raya to forgive Namaari — it’s easy to forgive when you get back what you’ve lost.
But what if you could never get back what you lost? Could you still forgive the person that caused you the most pain? What would real, powerful forgiveness look like in this case?
Context (Spoilers)
500 years prior to the start of the movie, the dragons of Kumandra used what was left of their magic to create an orb that warded off the Druun and restored everyone to life, except the dragons who remained turned to stone. The people all wanted the orb’s power, which ultimately divided them into tribes based on their placement of a giant river made to resemble a dragon: Fang, Heart, Tail, Spine, and Talon.
At the end of the movie, the stone humans and dragons are brought back to life. The formerly stoned people seem to understand all that had happened while they were inanimate and everyone seems eagerly onboard to finally form Kumandra. Raya and her crew forgive Namaari and all are on good terms.
An Alternate Ending
What if, instead, not all of the humans were resurrected, much to the shock and despair of Raya and all the other survivors? What if only those who sacrificed themselves for unity were brought back (the dragons and Raya’s crew)? What if all the Druun could never be defeated because human discord will always exist? What if it turns out that the existence of the Druun actually serves a redemptive purpose too, like how Te Ka in Moana turned out to be Te Fiti or how Sadness in Inside Out was necessary to feel Joy?
It would have been a plot twist to not have things turn out the way Raya expected them to after her biggest trust moment and sacrifice. For her to return back to life with her crew for their sacrificial action but not have all of their other family return back with them. I can envision the dragons who returned back to life rejoicing with one another and the crew being excited, but then finding out that the humans they loved were still stone. Sisu looking at the other dragons and then somberly explaining why they are still stone and will forever be stone. After the realization of this, Namaari comes to sincerely apologize and comfort Raya. I can see a light rain in this gloomy scene, symbolizing not only grief but also the water of Sisu that washes away the Druun. Perhaps now they can properly grieve the loss of their loved ones now that they have closure knowing that the others will not come back. In their first act of unity, the lands can hold a beautiful memorial service for all those lost in the pursuit of Kumandra. The stone statue of Chief Benja could be honored in a way that serves also as a solemn reminder of the cost of unity or the consequence of discord. Namaari can finally apologize to Raya for her actions and Raya can have the opportunity to truly forgive her, a bittersweet moment for her as she realizes that this is the beginning of her father’s dream of Kumandra, unity over discord. (Side note: I can envision Namaari’s mother in the background and then coming forward to acknowledge Raya’s grief at the ceremony by bowing to her and honoring Benja’s statue with a gift). The movie’s last scene could have been the physical rebuilding of Kumandra, all the survivors of the lands working to help one another out in the areas they lacked and becoming one large connected family, still ultimately a Disney-esque ending.
What are your thoughts on the ending of Raya and the Last Dragon?
