The first “Moana” ended with a post-credits scene featuring Tamatoa, the famously shiny crab. When “Moana 2,” the sequel to the 2016 Disney movie, is finished, is it worth sticking around to catch a similar post-credits scene?
Long story short: Yes. Like many Disney and Marvel movies, including the recent “Inside Out 2,” “Moana 2” has a telling scene during the credits that hints at the future of the franchise. The scene also nods to another Disney movie series returning next November.
Here’s what to know about what happens at the very end of “Moana 2.”
Is there an end credits scene in ‘Moana 2’?
Yes, but it comes during the mid-credits, rather than at the every end of the credits.
What happens in the mid-credits scene in ‘Moana 2’?
To understand the scene, you have to know what happens in “Moana 2.”
In the movie, Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) and the demi-god Maui (Dwyane Johnson) set sail on yet another quest. This time, they’re in search of Motufetu, a hidden land named at the bottom of the sea that her ancestors tried, and failed, to find.
Motufetu is cursed by Nalo (voiced by Tofiga Fepulea’i), a lightning god famous for hating humanity. The curse will be broken if a human reaches the land — and Moana manages to, becoming a demi-God in the process.
Nalo returns in the mid-credits scene. Previously seen only as a thunderous cloud, this time he’s in human form with purple eyes and a lightening aura. He sits in his throne room, frustrated over Moana and Maui breaking his curse. He summons his servant Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), then confronts her about not stopping Moana. Unbeknownst to Nalo, Matangi had helped Moana find Motufetu.
Matangi tells Nalo that she already paid her debt by laying dormant as a guard to the Motufetu portal for thousands of years. In response, Nalo magically puts Matangi in a lightning handcuffs and tells her, “We’re just getting started.”
As he begins scheming up ideas for vengeance, a familiar voice says, “I can help you with that.”
Out of the shadows, and accompanied by an evil laugh, comes Tamatoa, the giant crab monster from the first movie voiced by Jemaine Clement. But after his brush with Moana, Tamatoa isn’t looking as “shiny” as he used to.
Tamatoa sketches out a plan for how he and Nalo can work together to bring down Moana and Maui.
Then, he cracks a few jokes about singing a new song. “I got a new one you’re going to like. It’s called ‘Funky Crab Legs,’” he pleads to Nalo, who looks on in disgust.
The credits also have a subtle nod to “Zootopia 2.” The character Gary appears in the form of a decorative image in the background of the scene.