Top 10 Moana Easter Eggs You Missed
Did you catch these Easter Eggs in Moana? For this list, we're diving into Disney's “Moana” to uncover the best Easter eggs, references and homages to other movies. If you haven't seen the movie yet, you might get splashed by a few spoilers.
#10: Baymax’s Face
In “Big Hero 6”, the robot Baymax stole our hearts with his gentle nature and hilarious lines. And it was surprising to see him (sort of) in “Moana,” stealing our attention, without a word, in one scene. Moana and Maui are suddenly attacked by pirates known as the Kakamora. Although each one has a distinct face, the pirate who stands out the most is wearing Baymax’s trademark blank expression. Did he, like, steal a prototype of the robot’s face to wear? Or is the pirate just a big fan of “Big Hero 6”? Either way, this quick Easter egg was as delightful as the robot it was based on.
#9: The Flower From “Tangled”
This one passes by so quickly, we wouldn’t blame anyone for missing it. If you look at the plant life closely during “Moana”, you’ll notice a distinct yellow flower appearing near the beginning and the end. That plant looks identical to the one that appears in another Disney film. In “Tangled”, the flower grants eternal youth and healing to those who sing to it. When a sick Queen drinks the plant, its magical powers are transferred into her daughter Rapunzel’s crazy long hair. Having the same species of flower in both movies is a cool reference that firmly ties “Moana” to Disney’s wider universe.
#8: Maui's Eyebrow
Many a ‘90s kid grew up watching Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson take down plenty of opponents in the wrestling ring. One of the Rock’s signature quirks was a little move known as “The People’s Eyebrow.” This simple eyebrow tilt would electrify fans because they knew the Rock meant business. When Johnson signed on to play the demigod Maui, the directors gave the powerful character a distinctive eyebrow arch as well. The animators did an excellent job at bringing The People’s Eyebrow to the demigod’s face. Between Maui’s colorful facial expressions and strength, he has some serious potential as a pro wrestler.
#7: Magical Aladdin References
Agrabah may be closer to Hawaii than we thought. When Moana helps Maui retrieve his magical hook, they enter a cave full of treasure. Upon closer inspection, the lamp that held Genie from “Aladdin” can be seen. But that’s not the only reference to the Disney classic. In an earlier scene, villagers are seen doing various chores. One of these chores has them stretching out a carpet that has an identical pattern to the flying carpet from “Aladdin”. Both magical items would’ve helped Moana a lot on her journey. But with the ocean on her side, having the genie and carpet too might’ve been overkill.
#6: Maui's Whoop
To the average audience member, Maui’s yells of “Chee-hoo!” may seem like a quirky catchphrase. But those familiar with Polynesian culture would recognize his exclamation as important cultural remark. Historically, the word was used by Polynesian people to terrify opponents or declare a challenge. In modern times, it’s used to convey feelings of happiness, enthusiasm and pure thrill. Maui embodies every definition of the word by yelling it before battle, and when he gets excited. The word is a great reflection of the movie’s roots, as well as being ridiculously fun to hear.
#5: “Frozen” Treat
We couldn’t let these “Frozen” Easter eggs go. Elsa’s icy bodyguard Marshmallow makes a notable appearance as a threatening creature on a tapestry, before stomping in the background when Moana and Maui dive into the Realm of Monsters. While they’re down there, Maui accidentally uses his shapeshifting hook to turn into our familiar reindeer friend Sven. The hardest “Frozen” character to catch is everybody’s favorite snowman, Olaf. Although his body may have melted in Hawaii, you can still spot his carrot nose and stick arms amongst Moana’s supplies. Let’s hope Olaf gets himself together before the “Frozen” sequel.
#4: Director Cameos
Directors Ron Clements and John Musker are no strangers to Disney. An since “Moana” marked their seventh time directing together for the studio, they definitely earned a shout-out. In one scene, a large totem is positioned closely to a tall one. Fans believe that the pair of totems is a reference to the directors and their heights relative to one another. (*xref) The more obvious Clements and Musker cameo occurs near the beginning of the film. If you look at a certain tapestry, you’ll see two characters that look just like the dynamic directing duo.
#3: “The Little Mermaid” Guests
Did you know that Clements and Musker also directed “The Little Mermaid?” If you didn’t, these Easter eggs may tip you off. In the “You’re Welcome” number, a school of fish fills the screen. Among the students, there’s a fish that looks like Ariel’s best friend Flounder. If that cameo swam by too fast for you, check out the post-credits scene. The monstrous crab Tamatoa is stuck on his back and asks the audience for help. When nothing happens, he complains that it’s because he lacks a Jamaican accent. This reference to Ariel’s crabby protector Sebastian was a hilarious way to the end the film.
#2: “Fury Road”
The high-octane “Mad Max: Fury Road” is about the furthest thing from a family-friendly Disney film. And yet, the R-rated action movie got a huge shout-out in “Moana”. When Moana is attacked by the Kakamora, they announce their presence with a spear. The War Boys from “Fury Road” also use a spear launching weapon against their enemies. And both the War Boys and the pirates share a fondness for drums. They also must all shop at the same makeup store, because both groups rock white paint on their bodies. Let’s just hope these two groups never team up.
Before we swim over to our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
Flash from “Zootopia”
Hidden Mickey Mouse
Squirt and Crush from “Finding Nemo”
#1: Alan Tudyk
Alan Tudyk has been a big part of Disney’s animated films lately. He’s played roles like King Candy in “Wreck-it Ralph”, Duke Weselton in “Frozen” and Alistair Krei in “Big Hero 6”. With those amazing performances on his resume, he was, naturally, the first choice to play Heihei in “Moana”. That’s right, Moana’s dim-witted chicken sidekick was brought to life by Tudyk’s flexible voice. It’s a testament to his ability that we can get so much character from a series of random clucks. Tudyk’s insane vocal range gives us an idea. If Disney makes a film where he plays all the parts, we’ll give them all of our money.