How to Take the First Step (Disney's Raya)

One of my most recent movie forays was Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon. While the setting, characters, and story were all brilliant and unique, the theme and emotion were what really blew me away.

Raya and the Last Dragon

Raya is a former princess who now roams the various countries of Kumandra (Heart, Spine, Talon, Fang, and Tail) in hopes of piecing together the legendary Dragon Gem. That Gem was also destroyed at what was supposed to be a peaceful event. When the five countries realized where the Gem was, they accused Heart of hoarding all its benefits. In the rush to all claim it, it fell and shattered.

And when it shattered, so did Kumandra.

Giant purple shadow monsters (Druun) rage unchecked without the Gem’s powers to protect their country. And anyone they come across, they turn to stone.

Raya’s peace-hoping dad among them.

So now Raya’s hoping maybe a magical dragon from the past—Sisu—could bring her Ba back.

I mean, it really is understandable that Raya has some trust issues. Especially a girl she’d befriended was the one to lead the invasion for the Dragon Gem. And there is the fact that the same girl (Namaari) hunts Raya to this day.

But in order to get all the gem pieces, she’ll have to take a few chances.

Three, to be exact, which lead her to assemble quite the misfit crew.

The Great Sisu Debate

There’s been quite the debate as to what this movie was trying to say, and I had a lot of fun discussing it with some of my writer friends.

Sisu, the hilarious yet wise dragon, advocates giving everyone a chance. But in real life, we can’t just walk up to a random person on the street and ask for help. We can’t go to someone who has seriously hurt us and give them a gift and make everything better.

Raya, on the other hand, trusts no one. And we see throughout the movie that her way doesn’t work either. We can’t do everything ourselves (and I would highly suggest you not try drying your own food unless you know how).

So what are we to do?

I think the answer lies in the scene when Raya and Sisu confront Namaari. (And we’re preparing for a whole lot of spoilers, so be warned.)

Namaari—whom Sisu believes can be trusted—turns a crossbow on them both and demands they hand themselves and the Gem over. Despite this turn in plans, Sisu continues to assure Raya it’s alright.

Raya draws her sword anyway. Hurls it at Namaari. Namaari’s finger slips on the trigger.
And Sisu dies.

This is where a lot of the debate begins. Were they saying Raya should have blindly trusted Namaari and none of this would happened?

Or was it not really about Namaari at all?

Backing up the tape—Sisu was the one who assured Raya it was alright. Sisu had proven herself trustworthy over and over again throughout the movie (if not a bit scatter-brained at times). Even Raya trusted her by seeking her help in the first place.

Raya couldn’t see past her own hurt with one person to trust someone who truly did care about her and whom she truly could trust.

Taking the First Step

Why is this all so important to me? Because I see this a lot. In myself. In others. In the stories I write. We’ve been hurt over and over again, sometimes by people we trusted very deeply. So we hide away in a little ball (not unlike Tuk-Tuk, really), shielding ourselves from everyone and everything.

We don’t ask for help, because it’s safer to do it ourselves.

Even from God.

But Raya got a second chance.  A chance to trust former enemies as they put the Dragon Gem back together. Even when it all seems to go wrong and she’s turned to stone.
She took the first step. (Thanks for the line, Sisu.)

There is still hope. There is still light. There is still Someone far more trustworthy than any dragon.

And because of that, we can take the first step.

Although it may not be giving a gift to someone who wants to kill you . . . it may just look more like the quiet acceptance of Someone you know can be trusted.

When Raya took the first step, the Druun were destroyed. All those who turned to stone were restored. Sisu and the dragons returned. But most importantly, Kumandra was united again.
Who can tell what might happen if we take the first step?

*Have you seen Raya and the Last Dragon? What did you think of it? Share your adventures in the comments below!*