Te Kā is the main antagonist in the 2016 Disney animated feature film Moana. She is a goddess manifested entirely of fire and magma, and is an ancient rival of the demigod, Maui.
Background[]
Te Kā has dwelled the earth for centuries as a powerful demon of fire and lava. She is massive in size, towering above all who encounter her, and is usually depicted with a hollow scowl. Always surrounding her slender form is a dense pyrocumulus cloud, coupled with bolts of lightning and volcanic ash.
She seeks ownership of the Heart of Te Fiti, which Maui stole thousands of years in the past, resulting in a battle between the two titans that ended in the loss of both the Heart of Te Fiti and Maui's magical fish hook. Once the gem is uncovered by a young teenager named Moana, who ventures off with Maui to restore the Heart to its rightful place, Te Kā reemerges to retrieve it.
Physical Appearance[]
Te Kā is comprised completely out of lava, with molten skin and flames as her hair. Her facial features consist of pupil-less eyes and mouth that are white in coloration, thus giving Te Kā a more menacing scowl.
Imprinted on Te Kā's chest is a spiral-like pattern; once the Heart of Te Fiti is implanted on the pattern, Te Kā will crumble away to reveal her true form (a towering, yet kind-hearted, green-skinned figure that slightly resembles Moana).
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Te Kā is depicted as one of Maui's tattoos, as their battle for the Heart of Te Fiti is illustrated on the latter's stomach.
- Te Kā is made up almost entirely of effects animation.
- In earlier designs, Te Kā's facial appearance was slightly more human; she appears as a more demonic figure in the final film.
- Te Kā bears similarities to the religious Hawaiian figure Pele, the goddess of fire, lightning, wind and volcanoes.
- Te Kā is probably the most unique of all the Disney villains:
- Rather than facing a more horrifying and gruesome demise, Te Kā ends up with a more peaceful fate. In addition, she is one of the few villains to not be defeated; rather, she needs to be liberated from her torment in order to undo all of the harm she's done.
- Te Kā is also one of the few Disney antagonists/villains to reform.