The following contains spoilers for Moana 2, now playing in theatersMoana 2 radically reinvents the Kakamora, the coconut tribe from the first film, into a far more tragic community of characters. Introduced in the first film as one of the dangerous groups on the ocean that Moana must overcome during her mission to restore Te Fiti, the Kakamora were one of the more visually memorable elements of the film. They were also fairly one-note complication in Moana's world, a basic threat that could be overcome with an oar and some persistence.

The Kakamora return and one of their number play an important role in Moana 2's ending. However, it's not just as a basic villain or potential threat. The full scope of the Kakamora's origins is revealed in Moana 2, revealing the tragic reason they became the pirates seen in the first film. This story makes the coconuts a surprisingly...