Is the bat lady in Moana 2 evil? Character explored in depth

Moana 2 was released last year on 27th November, 2024. David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller directed the film.

A sequel of the OG film Moana, from 2016, Moana 2 has become a nominee at the 2024 Golden Globes Awards, for the Best Animated Feature Film category.

Moana 2 continues the story of Moana, where, upon the guidance of her ancestors, she is out for a high-stakes expedition into the oceans to save the people from the shackles of the evil storm god Nalo.

However, viewers must be having questions about the 'bat lady' in Moana 2. Is she really evil?

Well, Bat Lady, a.k.a. Matangi, is a very intricate character. Even though she does start off as someone being villainous, her later actions prove otherwise. So, it might be safe to say that, Bat Lady is not evil.

Let's find out more details about the characterization of Bat Lady a.k.a. Matangi.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers of Moana 2, as well as the author's opinions. Reader discretion is advised.

Is the Bat Lady a.k.a Matangi in Moana 2, evil?

In Moana 2, Bat Lady a.k.a Matangi serves as an enforcer for the ruthless storm God Nalo. It is revealed in the song sung by her in 'Get Lost', that she has been working for him for 1000 years. She is kept in charge of protecting the portal of Motufetū.

At the beginning of the story, Moana receives a vision from her ancestor, who gives her a history of the reason behind the disconnect of people from the ocean, and Nalo's role in it. She finds out there is an island named Motufetū, that has been bonding all the other islands. However, Nalo, due to his greed to achieve power and control, has submerged the island.

Moana has been told by her ancestor Tautai that, if this continues, sooner, the people of Motunui shall cease to exist. Hence, Moana is out on a voyage to undo the wrongdoings of Nalo and restore peace and life.

At the same time, Maui, the demi-god, has had a history with Nalo himself. So he sets out to find out Motufetū. That is when Matangi comes into the picture when she holds Maui captive.

However, when Moana starts her voyage, she later gets captured by Matangi. But later, there is a major shift in her actions. Matangi frees both Moana and Maui, as she condemns the actions of Nalo. She wants to be free from his captivity.

Maui understood that Matangi imprisoned Maui so that he and Moana could later rejoin in this mission to demolish Nalo's reign. Matangi's character takes a beautiful transition, as she further gives strength and courage to Moana. She encourages her to rely on her intuitions and surrender more, in short, to 'get lost'.

As Matangi says to Moana in the song 'Get Lost'-

"There's always another way to get where you need to go, you just have to think a little".

However, things do not look good for Matangi after deceiving Nalo, as in a stinger in Moana 2, Nalo seems to be doubtful of Matangi. She requests him to release her from his confinement. But Nalo does not agree.

Audiences might be curious about more character development and the backstory of Matangi in the upcoming installments of Moana. Matangi's character is very compelling and has a lot of room for potential for an intense build-up. Even her history with Nalo can be explored further in the forthcoming films.

According to Polynesian folklore, 'Matangi' is associated with the wind. She has a deep association with bats. She has the power to control the movements of bats and overall has attributes very similar to bats.

She can seamlessly take a stroll on the ceiling and walls, which means she has immense control over gravity and the winds.

Awhimai Fraser has lent the voice work for Matangi.