Why Raya Needs To Become The Next Official Disney Princess

Warning! Major SPOILERS for Raya and the Last Dragon below.

As the daughter of a prominent chief and the Princess of Heart, Raya and the Last Dragon‘s Raya is perfectly poised to become the next official Disney princess. She easily reflects the characteristics that modern-day Disney princesses have come to embody and even meets most – if not all – of the requirements that Disney looks at.

Raya and the Last Dragon takes place in the mythical world of Kumandra where dragons and humans previously lived in harmony with one another. But a dangerous monster organism known as the Druun ravaged the land and turned the people of Kumandra against one another, all of whom were vying for protection. The dragons in Raya and the Last Dragon sacrificed themselves to save humanity, with the very last one unwittingly going into hiding. After 500 years of a fractured peace, the Druun returned and threatened to wipe out the world once and for all. Raya, daughter of Chief Benja, took it upon herself to find the last dragon and stop the Druun for good.

Raya doesn’t look or act like the traditional Disney princess that audiences have come to know. She doesn’t sing, she spends most of her time in practical outfits, and she doesn’t have a male love interest; rather, Raya is a fierce, independent, and capable. She also brings some much-needed diversity to Disney animation. She has yet to be confirmed as an official Disney princess, but she absolutely deserves to be added to their ranks given her story and qualities – particularly that she meets the requirements Disney has set for their Disney Princess line.

Raya follows basic Disney Princess rules – she is the human protagonist of her film and comes from royal blood. While she doesn’t fit in with the typical dress-wearing damsel in distress of the classic Disney princesses, Raya falls more in line with those of the 2000s and beyond. Princesses like Brave‘s Merida, Frozen‘s Elsa, and Moana were not focused on finding love in the way that princesses like Ariel and Snow White were. The newer princesses are focused on self-discovering and serving their people. They represent a more accurate reflection of modern girls and women. These princesses teach young girls to be strong and independent on their own. Raya’s journey shares the same message.

Disney’s newer princess have begun to taught girls that they can save themselves and be the hero of their own story. Raya suffers tremendous loss in the beginning of the movie when her father is turned to stone by the Druun. But she puts her own feelings aside in order to go on a selfless, years-long journey to restore order to the world. Raya and the Last Dragon‘s ending shows that Raya, with the help of her friends, ends up succeeding in her mission. A princess and a hero can be synonymous, and Raya and the Last Dragon proves that. Not to mention, she is the first southeast Asian princess shown on Disney screens, allowing a larger segment of the audience to see themselves in Raya. While nothing is set yet, the odds are that Raya will eventually be announced as the next official Disney princess. That is a title that she absolutely deserves; it’s just a matter of Disney making that jump.

About The Author