However, when the Druun awakened, it consumed and turned every living thing into stone. Not wanting mankind to be destroyed, the dragons fought valiantly for humanity, but one by one, they all turned into stone as well.
In Raya And The Dragon, “binturi” is an insult that basically means “traitor” – hence why it's Raya's preferred term for Namaari. It's part of the Kumandran dialect which was created specifically for the movie by language creator David J.
The movie also features the studio's first Southeast Asian princess, Raya, who goes on a quest to find a dragon and reunite the tribes of Kumandra, a land that had been fractured by wars and a plague. Raya is voiced by Kelly Marie Tran, who is Vietnamese American.
Therefore, Raya and the Last Dragon is the first Walt Disney Animation Feature to have a transgender character. If the protocol at Disney remains in the way it has been presented, it may not be the last time.
Raya and the Last Dragon | The Inspiration Behind Sisu | Disney UK
Is Raya Vietnamese or Thai?
Raya is voiced by Kelly Marie Tran, who is Vietnamese American. The film is inspired by diverse Southeast Asian cultures. The screenplay was written by Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim, who both trace their roots back to Southeast Asia.
Unfortunately, Sisu is not based on a true story or specific event from World War II. A one-man battle as epic and gorily unforgiving as the one depicted in Sisu certainly would have been put in the history books, but sadly the gold miner didn't exist in real life.
Believing that Namaari will shoot, Raya attacks with her grappling hook but this results in Sisu being accidentally shot in the heart and falling into the river under the horrified eyes of her friends. With her disappearance, the water in turn disappears, leaving no defense against the Druun.
Namaari arrives just in time to hear Raya call her a binturi. She taunts Raya, calling her dep la (strangely beautiful) and demands to know why Raya is stealing Dragon Gem pieces.
Language. Not much is known about the Kumandran language, but it was based on a mixture of Southeast Asian languages, such as Thai, Vietnamese, and Javanese.
Namaari points this out to Raya at the end of their final fight, saying Raya is as much to blame for Sisu's death as she is. In the face of Sisu's faith in humanity, Raya and Namaari were equally distrustful of each other, inevitably leading to violence and the loss of an innocent life.
Jagan is a male water dragon and the brother of Pengu, Amba, Pranee, and Sisu. He is a co-creator of the Dragon Gem. His magic is to create fog that is so thick it is impossible to see through. His part of the dragon gem was used by Sisu when Namaari came to Spine.
Raya and the Last Dragon is a fantasy film set in the fictional land of Kumandra, but that world is inspired by the beautiful cultures of Southeast Asia. Writer Adele Lim emphasized that Kumandra is a fictional land, and that Southeast Asia served as its inspiration.
However, the movie had some serious issues when it comes to writing and the pacing. The movie constantly shows you what happens when you go around trusting strangers randomly, and then there's Sisu constantly blabbering about trust. I thought maybe they'd give Namaari a better redemption arc, but boy was I wrong.
At the end of the film, Sisu encouraged Raya to trust Namaari once again in order to stop the evil spirits and save the world. Raya reluctantly did so, despite Namaari taking no action to earn back Raya's trust. Past Disney films had repeatedly emphasized the strength of bonds that are formed by earning trust.
He thankfully finds a rusty thick nail pointing out of the pole he's hanging from, and unable to place his legs on it to save himself, he impales that into a bullet's entry wound on his leg to bear his body weight and release the pressure off the noose.
Sisu is a unique Finnish concept. It is a Finnish term that can be roughly translated into English as strength of will, determination, perseverance, and acting rationally in the face of adversity. Sisu is not momentary courage, but the ability to sustain that courage. It is a word that cannot be fully translated.
Etymologically, “sisu” comes from a Finnish root word that implies “inner” or “inside.” This is one reason it is sometimes translated as “guts” or “inner strength.” Finland is a bilingual country; Nylund grew up in Raseborg, a southern town where both Finnish and Swedish are well represented, and she speaks both.
Sisu's magical abilities take her another step away from Disney's traditional depiction of dragons. In Raya and the Last Dragon, Sisu gains the ability to shapeshift, glow, and control fog and form clouds from her brothers and sisters, all abilities found somewhere in Asian mythology.
The story of Raya and the Last Dragon isn't taken from any specific legend or myth. But, as co-screenwriter Adele Lim, who is Malaysian, told IGN, Raya is symbolic of the Southeast Asian women she grew up with.
The fictional kingdom Fang draws on geometric architecture from Indonesia, while Talon is made up of floating markets reminiscent of those in Thailand. The titular last dragon, Sisu (voiced by Awkwafina), is modeled after naga, serpent-like creatures from Southeast Asian folklore.
