Disney: 5 Ways Lilo & Stitch Broke The Mold (& 5 Ways Moana Did)

Disney fans were excited to see a new type of female heroine grace the big screen in 2016 with Moana. Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) would be the first major Pacific Island character to make her debut. The movie gave fans a new type of female lead character that inspired and warmed their hearts.

Moana broke the mold from the typical princesses like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. Just as Moana charted her own path, Lilo & Stitch from 2002 did, as well. The tale and adventures of a young girl and her alien dog living in Hawaii while being raised by her older sister, Lilo was a special girl who was incredibly touching.

10 Moana: Use Of Pacific Island Culture

Disney fans have become used to the fairytale stories of princesses and the adventures of Hercules and Mulan, Moana would be the first to be centered around Pacific Islander culture. At first, fans were skeptical about how Disney would be able to portray the culture accurately on screen.

Moana would be the daughter of the tribal chief who looks to make her own journey of self-discovery. She meets a mighty demigod on her journey to save her people, as well as return a magical artifact to the goddess Te Fiti. There were certain aspects of the movie that fans enjoyed, and many related Moana’s grandmother to their own family members.

9 Lilo & Stitch: There’s No Major Love Story

A relationship in Lilo & Stitch wasn’t the big message that needed to be conveyed to audiences. Instead, it was put on the backburner and used on occasion to get a point across. Audiences see David trying to ask out Nani at work, only be turned down. Nani explains that she has bigger responsibilities than focusing on a love life.

A love story is often the basis for a lot of Disney movies, but the 2002 movie was different. It was realistic in showing audiences that not everyone is dedicated to looking for love, and, in Nani’s case, there are bigger fish to fry. The same is said about Moana; there’s no man in sight she fancies.

8 Moana: Not A Damsel

Disney fans have seen the breaking of the ‘damsel’ trope before with Mulan, but, at the end of the movie, she still had the begging of a relationship. Even Meg from Hercules noted that she didn’t want to be a damsel, but she ended up as one, anyway. Moana has no love story, and the titular character is by far no damsel. She was a new breed of heroine for whom fans could cheer.

She went on the quest with her own ambition and strived to succeed alone, even with the demigod by her side. Moana understood that her journey was hers alone and that she had to muster the strength to push forward. But, she also had her moments of realization that she, too, was still human with complex emotions.

7 Lilo & Stitch: The Elvis Presley Fan

It’s not often that Disney movies include real-life references to music and pop culture, but Lilo & Stitch made a huge exception to the rule for Elvis Presley. It was her thing, and she was a devoted fan. She’s seen listening to his records while sulking on the floor, and, in one scene, she even has Stitch impersonate him at the beach.

If one reference had to be included, it had to be the King of Rock and Roll. While the movie may be animated, when Lilo shows Stitch a photo of Elvis, it’s a normal photo of him in his red Hawaiin shirt. Even Elvis defies the laws of animation.

6 Moana: She Has A Much Larger Purpose

Looking back at all the female characters in Disney, not all are destined for something more. Mulan took it upon herself to stop Shan Yu from taking over China. Was it her destiny from the start? Possibly. Following that same line of thinking, ever since she was a baby, Moana was destined for something great.

She had a special connection with the water that no one else had. It’s learned that the ocean hand-picked Moana to return the heart of Te Fiti, and, when she grew to be old enough, her grandmother gave it to her and encouraged her to go find Maui.

5 Lilo & Stitch: A Somewhat Darker Main Character

How many Disney characters are actually unwell emotionally? It was interesting to see that Lilo wasn’t always a joyous kid. She had her own struggles and some saddening ways of thinking. Lilo was often pushed away for being the weird girl and felt ostracized.

She also felt misunderstood as she had no one but her older sister. In one scene, Lilo is having a moment and tells Nani that she just wants to be left alone to die while listening to Elvis Presley. Lilo mouthing the words perfectly to the song gets audiences every time, but Lilo goes through a lot emotionally throughout the movie.

4 Moana: Play on Gender Control

When watching Moana, fans may note that the movie utilizes gender power play. To start, Moana is actually meant to become chief of her tribe. It’s not that a male has to take over the position; Moana is perfectly capable of doing so, and her father wants her to, which is drastically different from Mulan.

Moana also proves that she’s more than capable of succeeding in her mission, even it gets rocky along the way. There’s an impactful scene where Maui, the demigod, is insecure and refuses to help Moana because he believes he is nothing without his hook. Moana is the one who tries to uplift his spirits and put her foot down on who she is—though it sadly doesn’t work.

3 Lilo & Stitch: The Inclusion Of A Social Worker

Fans really felt bad for Nani in Lilo & Stitch. It’s not often that a Disney movie would relate to everyday issues and include the struggles of dealing with a social worker. In the movie, Nani has a hard time proving that she can care for her little sister. It proves fruitless, as the social worker always catches them at their worst.

It’s clear that Nani does her best to get a job and provide for Lilo. There’s a scene where Stitch drags Lilo under the water while being attacked. The social worker took that as a bad parenting moment and ridicules Nani.

2 Moana: She’s A Relatable Heroine

The title of being a heroine was seen before in Mulan, but Moana did something different that fans fell for. From the start, Moana is a spitfire full of spirit and warmth. It’s clear that she speaks her mind and doesn’t let anyone think lowly of her, and she’s brave enough to venture out on her quest.

But, this didn’t mean she was perfect. Going on an adventure to Te Fiti isn’t something to take lightly. Moana had her moments of self-doubt, even giving back Te Fiti’s heart to the ocean and telling it to pick someone else. Moana was unsure of her own path and strength, but she perseveres.

1 Lilo & Stitch: Struggles Of Becoming A Parent

What resonated with audiences was the sad reality between Lillo and Nani. Fans are aware that their parents are no longer with them, and Nani had no choice but to become Lilo’s legal guardian—but it wasn’t easy. Nani is still young, and so is Lilo. Nani struggles to not only be a big sister, but a good example for her only family.

After their heated argument, Lilo says that she likes Nani better as a sister than a mom. After being unable to find a job, Nani worries that Lilo will be taken away from her. There’s an emotional moment where they sit on a hammock and Nani sings “Aloha O`e.”

About The Author

Gabriela Silva
(478 Articles Published)

Gabriela Silva is a List writer for Screen Rant with experience in all things television, film and pop culture. A graduate of Fordham University with previous years experience interning for Cliché Magazine.

With her passion for movies, television and entertainment, she’s interviewed some great actors from Cress Williams of ‘Black Lightning’ to Tati Gabrielle from ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.’

Her love for entertainment reaches a broad range of interests from 90s thriller movies, guilty pleasure teen dramas, action-packed MCU movies to popular K-dramas. You’ll most likely find her binge-watching a new television show or movies on Netflix into the early morning.

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