Avatar: Seven Havens has already suggested a compelling post-apocalyptic journey: Pavi crossing the Harshlands with her cat-monkey companion, Geet, while searching for answers in a world damaged by catastrophe. For viewers drawn to animated adventures about young heroes, fractured societies and dangerous landscapes, Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon is an excellent companion watch.
The visual connection is easy to understand. Both stories place a young female hero in a vast, hostile landscape, travelling with an unusual animal companion. Raya crosses the desert on Tuk Tuk, a friendly, bear-sized creature with a hard shell that can curl into a rideable ball. The similarities extend beyond the opening imagery, reaching into each story’s larger ideas about survival, trust and rebuilding.
A fantasy world divided by disaster
Raya and the Last Dragon takes place in Kumandra, a land where humans once lived alongside dragons. That peace ended when the Druun appeared. These mindless storm spirits turn living beings to stone, forcing the dragons to sacrifice themselves to stop the threat. Their final act leaves behind a magical gem that protects humanity.
Peace does not last. The surviving communities fight over the gem, splitting Kumandra into five separate lands: Heart, Fang, Spine, Talon and Tail.
Five centuries later, Raya is the daughter of Heart’s chief, Benja, and has trained to protect the gem. Benja hopes to reunite the leaders of the five lands, but Raya is betrayed by Namaari, Fang’s warrior princess. The confrontation shatters the gem, and the Druun return. The film’s opening apocalypse takes place six years after that failure.
Raya’s quest is about more than finding a dragon
Raya sets out to find Sisu, the last surviving dragon, and recover the scattered pieces of the gem. Their journey takes them across Kumandra, introducing people who have adapted to a dangerous world by relying on themselves and distrusting outsiders.
As Raya and Sisu gather allies, the film turns its fantasy quest into a story about cooperation. Raya has difficulty accepting her father’s hope for a united Kumandra, while Sisu continues to argue that people deserve trust. The gem cannot restore the world through one hero’s efforts alone. The divided communities must decide whether they are willing to work together.
Why it suits Seven Havens fans
The same idea sits at the heart of Avatar: Seven Havens. Its characters live in isolated pockets after a disaster, with storms and separation shaping everyday life. While the new series is still developing its answer, episodes released on 23 October make the need to break through those boundaries clear.
Raya and the Last Dragon offers a complete version of that type of story. Its central conflict is not solved simply by defeating an outside enemy; the characters must overcome fear and suspicion that have kept communities apart for generations. Raya, Namaari and the other tribes can only banish the Druun by choosing to trust one another.
That makes the film a useful reference point for anyone following Seven Havens, but it also stands comfortably on its own. Viewers do not need prior knowledge of the wider Avatar universe to enjoy its characters, action or colourful fantasy setting.
A compact animated adventure worth revisiting
Running for 107 minutes, Raya and the Last Dragon moves briskly through its story. The film combines bright environments, entertaining action and a warm ensemble cast. Awkwafina gives Sisu an amusing energy without losing the character’s sincerity, while Raya’s chain sword provides one of the adventure’s most distinctive weapons.
The emotional payoff comes from watching Raya understand that Kumandra cannot be repaired by herself. Both Raya and the Last Dragon and Seven Havens begin with a young hero travelling alone through a damaged desert. Raya’s journey ends with friends and loved ones around her, offering a hopeful model for where Pavi’s story may lead.
The film was originally intended for release in late 2020, but the pandemic pushed it into a delayed hybrid cinema and Disney Plus release. That unusual launch may help explain why it remains less widely discussed than its quality suggests.
If you enjoy animated fantasy, post-apocalyptic storytelling or games built around exploration and survival, browse RETROCADE’s arcade blog and arcade videos for more entertainment and gaming features. For a home setup inspired by cinematic adventures, the arcade machines collection is another place to explore.
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