RAYA
Raya is the central protagonist of Disney's 2021 animated feature film 'Raya and the Last Dragon', voiced by Kelly Marie Tran. Officially recognized as Disney's 13th Disney Princess and its first of Southeast Asian heritage, she is the proud Guardian of the Dragon Gem from the Heart Land of Kumandra. Her overarching journey centers on collecting the shattered fragments of the magical gem, overcoming deep personal trauma, and reuniting her divided world.
Cronologia
Biografia
Raya is the proud Guardian of the Dragon Gem and Princess of the Heart Land in the fantasy realm of Kumandra. Trained from childhood by her father, Chief Benja, she was tasked with protecting the sacred stone containing the magic of the water dragon Sisu. After a tragic betrayal shatters the gem into five pieces and releases the petrifying plague known as the Druun, Chief Benja is turned to stone.
Burdened by grief and responsibility, Raya embarks on a solitary six-year quest across Kumandra to find Sisu and collect the gem fragments. As an adult, Raya is a mature, wisened, and highly capable warrior whose quick wit matches her blade mastery.
Accompanied by her rolling pet Tuk Tuk, she travels through the Tail, Talon, Spine, and Fang lands, gradually assembling an unlikely group of fellow survivors including Boun, Little Noi, the Ongis, and Tong. Her greatest internal struggle is an extreme distrust of others, stemmed from her childhood betrayal by Princess Namaari. Through her bond with Sisu and her growing sympathy for those affected by the Druun, Raya gradually learns to overcome her paranoia. By making the ultimate sacrifice of trust toward Namaari, Raya facilitates the reassembly of the Dragon Gem, vanquishing the Druun, restoring her petrified father, and bringing long-awaited peace to Kumandra.
Storia
Raya grew up in the peaceful Heart Land under the guidance of Chief Benja, who dreamed of unifying the five divided tribes of Kumandra (Heart, Tail, Talon, Spine, and Fang). As a young girl, Raya underwent rigorous martial arts training and earned the honored title of Guardian of the Dragon Gem.
In an attempt to broker peace, Chief Benja invited all five nations to a feast at Heart. During the event, Raya befriended Princess Namaari of the Fang Land, bonding over their shared love of dragons. Raya trusted Namaari enough to reveal the secret chamber of the Dragon Gem.
However, Namaari betrayed Raya by signaling the Fang army to steal the gem, prompting a violent melee among all the lands. The Gem was shattered into five pieces, instantly reawakening the Druun. During the chaos, Chief Benja saved Raya by giving her a gem piece and pushing her into the river, where she watched in horror as he was petrified by the Druun. This traumatic loss filled Raya with immense guilt and cynicism, shaping her into an anti-social wanderer driven solely by the goal of repairing her mistake.
I PEZZI DI RAYA
Evoluzione
From a conceptual standpoint, Raya evolved significantly between 2018 and 2020.
Originally announced with voice actress Cassie Steele at D23 Expo 2019, Disney shifted creative direction in August 2020, re-casting Kelly Marie Tran to lead the project and refining Raya into Disney's 13th official Disney Princess and its first Southeast Asian lead. In narrative terms, Raya evolves from a hopeful, trusting child into a guarded, cynical warrior hardened by betrayal and loss. Her character progression mirrors her internal battle between suspicion and faith, ultimately culminating in her decision to put her trust in Namaari to restore Kumandra.
Da Collezione
In collectibles and display art, Raya's visual design is highlighted through theme park installations and stylized gaming models.
Notable physical depictions include her custom 'It's a Small World' doll styling featured in Disneyland's Main Street Electrical Parade in 2022 alongside a light structure of Sisu. In the digital collectibles space, collectors and players seek out her unique action-RPG redesign in 'Disney Mirrorverse' alongside her strategic hero variant in 'Disney Heroes: Battle Mode'.
Raya's Whip Sword was inherited from her father Chief Benja and functions as both a blade and a grappling hook.
