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Let’s talk about why the Sisu and her fellow dragons in Raya and the Last Dragon run on raindrops. (Warning: this post is looooong and full of spoilers.)

We see Sisu running on raindrops for the first time right after gaining her brother Pengu’s magic. Before she takes off into the sky, the movie shows her gathering several raindrops into one big drop of water, to serve as her first stepping stone.

Significantly, this scene is also where Boun, Noi, and Tong join Sisu and Raya’s quest. The scene begins with conflict, where Boun, Noi, and Tong confront Raya about hiding Sisu’s identity from them. When they learn of Sisu and Raya’s goal of bringing everyone back, Boun offers to help them. Raya refuses because it’s too dangerous, but Boun reminds her that he has already suffered the loss of his family. As have Noi and Tong, who also offer to help. And so a fellowship forms out of their shared loss and grief, which binds them in a common goal, which they all trust each other to work together to reach.

(This also shows one of the misconceptions that Raya has been working under—namely, her fear that Sisu must be hidden. In fact, revealing Sisu’s identity is a necessary first step to progressing in their quest. Raya’s protectiveness gets in the way of Sisu fulfilling her role of mediating the divided nations so that they can make peace.)

Once entrusted with the knowledge of Sisu’s identitty and purpose, Tong in turn entrusts her with Spine’s piece of the Dragon Gem. This allows Sisu to rise joyfully to the heavens, accompanied by James Newton Howard’s wonderful score, “Running on Raindrops” (the magic is really not complete without his music).

So this scene isn’t just about showing off the magic of Sisu running on raindrops; it’s also a celebration of the formation of the Fellowship of Druun Butt-kickery and it invites us to feast our eyes and ears on the magic and joy of human bonding.

And Sisu doesn’t just rise to the heavens, she falls back down. We fall with Sisu and the raindrops, as the camera follows her straight down until she hits the water with a big splash. The splash hits Tong, but Boun, Noi, and Raya are quick to duck behind him, using him as a shield. When they pop back out, they lean away, uncertain of Tong’s reaction. This moment of visible tension, where the newly-formed fellowship seems about to break apart, is quickly resolved when Tong breaks out in laughter. Everyone relaxes and joins in, smiling and laughing (with Sisu giggling adorably).

(This is one of several little interactions that take place as Boun’s boat journeys up the Dragon River, which show Raya and her companions facing and resolving social friction and discord among themselves.)

So like the rain that she brings—and which by falling allows her to rise—Sisu’s role as a dragon is to rise and fall in a cycle without which life in Kumandra would not be possible.

The gathering of raindrops to step on is a visual metaphor for the real magic that lets Sisu fly: the coming together of humans in fellowship and community. And just as people need rain and water to live, human societies need common purpose, mutual trust, and the sharing of loss, grief, joy, and mirth in order to thrive. When Sisu rises to the heavens, she shows us the heights we can reach when individuals unite as a community. When Sisu falls down to earth, she returns to us to both challenge and help us to strengthen the bonds that bind us.

Raya’s opening narration tells us that 500 years ago, the people of Kumandra “lived harmoniously alongside dragons, magical creatures who brought us water and rain and peace.” This scene where Sisu runs on raindrops shows us that these gifts are not only inseparable, they’re gifts that people and dragons bring to each other.

People, dragons, life, harmony, peace, rain, water—all are ingredients that go into the making of Kumandra. And trust is like the palm sugar that Raya adds to Boun’s soup—the secret ingredient that’s needed to help bring everything together. Too much or too little and the soup would not be good. Give too much or too little trust and things will go bad.

(The problem with giving too much trust is not glossed over in the movie. In fact, it shows us repeatedly that things can go terribly wrong if we don’t exercise caution when giving trust. This movie is about learning how to trust wisely and it shows us that we can only do this through exercise and practice and by braving our way through trial and error.)

Dragons in Kumandra run on raindrops to tell us that it’s not about magic, it’s about trust—how the magic of trust works, how dangerous it can be, but also how necessary it is. They run on raindrops to show us how wonderous and joyful the outcome can be, when we overcome discord that breaks us apart by learning to trust each other the right way, at the right time, in the right amount. That’s the message that Raya and the Last Dragon speaks from its heart.

I wanted to see Rayaari (grown-up) in their formal wear! hence, this sketch 🖤

✨Queens of Fang and Heart✨

My headcannon:

✨ after some years of being married they get rid of the border between Heart & Fang to unify the two kingdoms. However both are the Head Chief of their homelands.

✨ they later build a palace on the previous border which has both Heart & Fang architecture

✨ they spend a few months in the original palaces. When Raya is in Fang she dresses in Fang inspired clothing with a sash of a Heart color, respectively Namaari wears Heart inspired clothing and a sash of a Fang color when she’s in the Heart palace