We are all familiar with the idea of Joseph Campbell's "The Hero's Journey." So, this observation may sound like a repeat, but I think the distinct similarity of these stories is significant. More importantly, they are both particularly successful in telling this story. Star Wars (The Original Trilogy) and Moana are completely different genres telling the same story in a similar manner.
The thing is, some people hate the same story being told over and over. I don't. As long as the artists find a new way to tell the audience the story or find a new audience to speak to, why not tell the story again? This story of adventure is so important and could potentially affect millions in a life-altering way. The journeys of Luke Skywalker and Moana share some aspects that really elevate their versions of the hero's journey.
At the beginning of A New Hope, Luke Skywalker's aunt and uncle deny him the opportunity to adventure beyond the common life of a farmer. Moana's parents, similarly, deny her the adventure she so desperately craves. Luke looks at the two suns setting while Moana stares at the ocean (and then sings about it), displaying their desire to escape this common life for reasons they don't fully understand. We all often romanticize a life of adventure as a beautiful thing, not realizing adventure is most often thrust upon us by necessity.
In both stories, there is a looming specter of evil that their societies try to ignore or pretend isn't their problem. This evil takes the form of Darth Vader for Luke and Te Kā for Moana. They won't begin their adventures until their home is touched by evil. Moana's home is poisoned while Luke's family is brutally murdered. Both had envisioned a journey of self-aggrandizement but were instead provided with a responsibility to save the universe. This seems like a bit much for these young heroes, and they acknowledge as much, believing in themselves to be inconsequential to the larger world.
Both characters require a quirky elder figure to launch them on their journey. They reveal to them the truth of their heritage. Obi-Wan tells Luke he is the child of a Jedi and shows him the tool of the Jedi, the lightsaber. Tala shows Moana the tools of her voyager heritage, boats. Both elder figures die, leaving our heroes alone on their adventures. They leave the heroes feeling as though they are of some importance, and that they not only are able to adventure but should.
The similarities continue. Luke needs a guide to get to the Death Star to save the galaxy. Moana needs a guide to get her to Te Fiti. Turns out, they both turn to ruggedly handsome anti-heroes that love nothing more than themselves but secretly have hearts of gold. Han Solo has the Millenium Falcon and Maui has his Hook. During the stories, they both lose their special weapons for a period of time. Additionally, our young protagonists help the anti-heroes defeat the wicked specters following them: Jabba the Hut and Tamatoa. During their journeys together, both protagonists convince the skeptical and pessimistic anti-heroes to believe in them.
Furthermore, they both show up to save our heroes at the last second of climactic battles. Han Solo saves Luke while he is trying to destroy the Death Star and Maui saves Moana while she tries to return the heart of Te Fiti. These anti-heroes are us. The people that Luke and Moana inspire to join the fight. This reveals why they are truly special. With all of the magic and supernatural abilities, it is their ability to inspire even the most pessimistic that makes them special.
Luke and Moana begin their journeys as naive children. Before they can face evil, they must first accept who they are. Luke's moment of truth comes towards the end of Return of the Jedi. He tells the Emperor that he is a Jedi, like his father before him. Moana sings a song to let the world know that she is Moana and a voyager like her ancestors and a leader like her father. This acceptance of their identities and roles in their communities while knowing that it could lead to their demise makes Luke and Moana more heroic than anything else they do in their films. These moments always affect me greatly. They know who they are, not because they had to journey to find it but because they had the courage to wear it in the face of evil.
In the end, neither Luke nor Moana are forced to destroy evil. Darth Vader and Te Kā are not who they appear to be. By placing their faith in them, (by believing in the heart of Anakin Skywalker and restoring the heart of Te Fiti), Luke and Moana restore balance to the world through radical displays of love. The reach of Vader and Te Kā's evil is disposed of immediately. Anakin dies saving his son from becoming an agent of evil and Te Fiti restores the great bounty to the island of Motunui. This isn't the hero's journey we typically see. We don't see them clash in a CGI battle to destroy evil by blasting it into nothing. They save the world by not fighting. They may even put their lives at greater risk by seeing the true nature of their antagonists. No one else can see it. They do. That's why the ocean picks Moana. That's why Luke is the chosen one. Not because they will destroy evil through violent means, but because they won't.
The importance of this connection is that this story is so powerful and important it should be told for everyone. Anyone can be this hero. Anyone can be Luke Skywalker. Anyone can be Moana. Go into space with a strange hermit. Dive into the ocean on a raft with a paddle. Have an adventure! It may be with lightsabers or with large musical numbers. It may be orchestrated by John Williams or composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Whatever you keep looking at, go for it!
While our adventures may not be on such a large scale, they still matter. We should still have the courage to leave the farm or our village to follow the voice that calls us. We should be aware that the world isn't sunshine and rainbows. Luke and Moana show us the strength it takes to believe when no one else does. They show us that evil isn't destroyed, that the mistakes of the previous generations don't mean we can never be healed. They show us that radical acts of love may do more to change the world than we can ever imagine. These stories inspire me because I am a pessimistic person and skeptical of making similar choices in my own life. But in our lives, we don't need to save the world. Maybe just have faith when no one else does.
P.S. Can't wait for the sequel with Moana telling all the kids that it's stupid to be a voyager and they should just stay at home and do nothing while the world crumbles around them. Super inspiring stuff.