Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Moana 2!Disney included a post-credits scene with Moana 2 that shows where the franchise is going with Moana 3‘s story. The second film in the animated Disney movie franchise brings Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) and Maui (Dwayne Johnson) back together for another adventure. They come into conflict with Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), who serves Nalo – the lightning god who sunk the Motufenu junction point to keep humanity from finding each other. By the time Moana 2‘s ending concludes, Moana and Maui are successful in their mission, allowing them to further explore the ocean now that it’s free from Nalo’s curse.

Unlike the original movie, Disney and the filmmakers behind the sequel – which was originally planned as a Disney+ TV show – opted to set up the next installment more directly. Moana 2 does have a mid-credits scene, but there is not an additional tag at the end of the credits. The post-credits scene is essential for the franchise’s future instead of being a comedic, throwaway moment to give everyone who watches Moana 2 in theaters or on streaming a final laugh. Even though Moana and Maui are absent from the scene, Moana 2‘s post-credits scene directly impacts their futures.

Moana 2’s Mid-Credits Scene Features Nalo, Matangi, & Tamatoa

The Franchise’s Villains Unite

Moana 2’s mid-credits scene begins by showing Nalo for the very first time in the entire movie. After only being a looming and powerful presence as Matangi worked in service of him, the movie introduces the storm god as he bemoans Moana undoing his curse over the ocean.

Nalo, who is voiced by Tofiga Fepulea’i, shown as a muscular black god with purple lightning eyes, is frustrated by the events that transpired, but he is not alone. The credits scene shows Matangi reporting back to the dark god, attempting to convince him that she had nothing to do with Moana and Maui getting the better of him.

Nalo then shackles Matangi with lightning, and when she says she has paid her debt, he ominously says “no, we are just getting started”, presumably setting up his mission of revenge.

Matangi had believed that ending the curse Nalo has placed on the ocean will also grant her freedom from him. While Moana 2 does break the curse, the post-credits scene confirms that Matangi will still be under Nalo’s control when we next see her. It is possible that Moana and Maui’s actions resulted in Matangi being sent back to Nalo against her will, but it seems more likely that she somehow believes Nalo isn’t aware of her betrayal.

The final surprise of Moana 2‘s mid-credits scene is that the movie brings back Tamatoa at the very end. The giant crab monster who loves shiny objects from the original movie emerges to link up with Nalo and Matangi. He expresses that he also has a score to settle with Moana and Maui after they tricked him in Moana and left Lalotai with the heart of Te Fiti and Maui’s magical fishhook.

As a result, the credits scene leaves audiences with two of Moana’s biggest opponents united with a common goal, and Matangi in service against her will. Interestingly, Nalo and Tamatoa’s dynamic is established as an uneasy one, since he manages to annoy the god immediately enough to be zapped with a lightning bolt.

Nalo Vows Revenge On Moana In Moana 2’s Credits Scene

Moana 2’s Villain Is Not Done With Her

While Nalo is a very real threat to Moana and Maui throughout Moana 2, he’s not a personal antagonist given his off-screen role. That changes with the post-credits scene, which fully introduces the physical being of the lightning god. Nalo is clearly frustrated that his curse was broken by a human like Moana, even though she’s evolved into a demi-god in the Moana movies by the film’s conclusion. Since Moana and Nalo came face-to-face in the sequel, he’s not completely defeated, even though he is temporarily weakened and left to reconsider his plan.

The Moana 2 post-credits scene has Nalo vow that this is only the beginning of his and Moana’s battle. He is not going to let her win without putting up another fight. This is important for the future of the Moana franchise as it positions Nalo as the overarching villain who should come back for Moana 3. He primarily relied on Matangi to do his bidding in this installment, so Nalo’s desire for revenge on Moana should mean that he goes on the attack himself. It appears that Nalo is going to take matters into his own hands to ensure he’s not foiled again.

How Moana 2’s Post-Credits Scene Sets Up Moana 3

Moana & Maui Will Have To Fight Their Previous Villains

The contents of Moana 2‘s post-credits scene are vital in setting up what will come in Moana 3. The sequel would not have included this scene if there was not an expectation that a third film would build on it. The original Moana did not have a credits scene teasing the sequel, so there was no need for the second installment to do one just to appease audiences. There is a clear purpose behind the scene’s inclusion and direction for the franchise in mind now. The result is the movie setting up the rough outline for Moana 3‘s story.

Even though Moana 3 is not yet confirmed to be in development, the sequel is sure to explore Nalo’s quest for vengeance. With Matangi back in his captivity and Tamatoa lending his support, the storm god will be an even bigger villain for Moana and Maui next time.

They will have to contend with fighting Nalo in the flesh and dealing with an angry Tamatoa, though it seems likely there will be a lot of comedy potential in their uneasy comradeship. There is also potential for them to attempt to free Matangi from Nalo’s control again and recruit her to their side of the fight. All in all, another battle over the oceans will ensue.

Moana 2‘s post-credits scene could set up the potential consequences that will come for Moana, Maui, and the ocean after they save the day, alongside how she reconciles the discovery of her demi-god status. The movie’s ending shows them encountering people from other islands at last, setting up a grander world to be explored.

Of course, that also means there are even more people for Nalo and his villain companions to put in harm’s way. With Moana and Maui looking to unite and protect the islands, that job will become a lot more difficult now. That’s something Nalo could exploit and use against them in the sequel.

This all means that Moana 3 should be an even bigger action adventure story with higher stakes involved. Positioning Nalo, Matangi, and Tamatoa as a trio of villains in opposition to Maui and Moana significantly raises the scope of the sequel’s story. That especially makes sense now that Moana is a demi-god with powers of her own to help Maui fight them all. Their combined power levels also mean Moana 3 could be more action-heavy or lean even more into the mythology and lore aspect of the franchise.

The directors of Moana 2 have already spoken about the potential in Moana’s new powers (via Comic Book Movie) and that certainly seems to be what to expect from Moana 3:

You know, there’s an untapped potential to the idea of her being a demigod, obviously. And we love that as an idea. And you know what that means. We haven’t quite got there yet, but I think it actually felt right for her character.

As we were developing the story, we really wanted to show that Moana still had a lot to grow a lot to change. And it really sort of puts an exclamation point on that idea when she has always been a person who’s out there for people doing things for the right reason, and it sort of naturally led to that idea that she would actually in the action she takes and everything she does that she proves herself to be more than just who she thought she was at the beginning.

Having that demigod status at the end of the film, it says a lot about it, and it was something that we crafted towards and really wanted to do.

Moana 2’s Post-Credits Scene Had A Last-Minute Change

Interestingly, despite the intent suggested by what happens in the post-credits scene, the final version was only settled upon late in the process. But, the intention was always to have a stinger – just not necessarily the one we saw.

In a new interview directors David Derrick Jr and Dana Ledoux Miller admitted that the post-credits scene underwent a last-minute change after confirming it was always planned to exist:

Derrick Jr.: It was baked in.

Miller: It was baked in, but there was a last-minute change to it. It was something that kept evolving the way the rest of the story did. I think the foundation of it was we introduced a demigod and a god into the world, and we really just like the idea of having a little bit more.

Quite what those changes were is unclear, but Moana 2 obviously went through some major changes from its inception, so it’s not surprising. It does somewhat suggest that the intention was always to set up another sequel, but that one element of that setup was only considered late on.

Could that have been the addition of Tamatoa? The giant crab isn’t as logical a connection as Nalo and Matangi, and had been painted as an odd-ball loner in the first movie, after all. Either way, the crab’s presence sets up an exciting future for Moana 3.