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Title: Raya and the Last Dragon

Director: Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada

Starring: Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Izaac Wang, Gemma Chan

Language: English

Release Date: 2021-03-03

Genre: Animation, Comedy, Adventure, Action, Fantasy, Family

Country: United States

Raya and the Last Dragon is a 2021 animated fantasy movie set in the land of Kumandra. The story follows the main character, Raya, a warrior princess on a mission to find Sisu (the last dragon) to save the world from evil.

In the past, Kumandra was attacked by dark and evil spirits known as the Druun, which turned living beings into stone. To preserve life, the dragons combined their magic into a powerful glowing gem and entrusted Sisu, the last dragon, to protect it. When Sisu released the gem’s magic, the Druun were forced to leave, but the dragons themselves were turned to stone—except for Sisu. Afterward, humans began fighting over the dragon gem, and Kumandra was divided into five separate lands: Heart, Fang, Spine, Talon, and Tail.

The gem remained in Heart under the watch of Raya’s father, Chief Benja, who believed the lands could one day be reunited. With this in mind, Benja invited representatives from the other lands to Heart. During the gathering, Raya introduced herself to Namaari, a princess from Fang, and showed her the location of the hidden gem. When they reached the location, Namaari betrayed Raya and tried to steal the gem for her own land. In the chaos, the gem shattered into five pieces, allowing the Druun to return. Many people, including Chief Benja, were turned to stone.

Devastated by the loss of her father, Raya sets off on a mission to find Sisu, believing she can help remake the gem and save Kumandra. Six years later, Raya finds Sisu at the end of a sacred river. To her surprise, Sisu is not a mighty warrior but a cheerful, playful, and funny dragon who believes in the power of trust. Together, they travel to all five lands to collect the missing pieces of the gem.

As they travel, Raya and Sisu meet a group of mysterious allies from different parts of Kumandra. During their search, they encounter Namaari, who is also looking for the missing pieces. They fight for the gem once again, but this time Raya prevents Namaari from stealing it and escapes on a boat. The boat is captained by Boun, a young boy from Tail. Along the way, they meet:

Tong – A lonely warrior from Spine.

Little Noi – A clever baby from Talon who tricks people with her three mischievous monkeys to get money.

Raya is still unsure whether she can trust anyone, especially Namaari, who has repeatedly betrayed her. However, Sisu encourages Raya to trust Namaari and work together. After a few days, Namaari accidentally kills Sisu in front of Raya and their allies. This causes chaos, as the Druun grow stronger without the dragon's magic.

Emotionally devastated by Sisu’s death, Raya initially feels intense anger toward Namaari but eventually realizes that revenge will not save Kumandra. She understands Sisu’s lesson that only trust can save the world. Raya gives Namaari a piece of the gem and allows herself to be turned to stone by the Druun, inspiring others to do the same. One by one, the characters allow themselves to be turned to stone.

Because the characters trust each other, the gem’s power is restored. Sisu returns to life, defeats the Druun permanently, and everything is restored to how it was before. Everyone who had been turned to stone, including Raya’s father and the other dragons, comes back to life. The film ends with the reunification of Kumandra, as the once-divided people come together happily.

Raya and the Last Dragon teaches that trust, forgiveness, and teamwork are more powerful than fighting. It shows that healing can only begin when we learn to trust again.