Raya is the titular protagonist of Disney's 2021 animated feature film Raya and the Last Dragon, marking her first and only appearance in that movie as the studio's thirteenth official Disney Princess and its first Southeast Asian princess. A fierce warrior princess of the Heart tribe in the fictional land of Kumandra, she is the daughter of Chief Benja and was appointed as the Guardian of the Dragon Gem, an artifact containing the power of ancient dragons that once saved humanity from the Druun plague. With her slender, slightly muscular build, tan skin, long black hair, and determined dark brown eyes, Raya embodies resilience and independence, often accompanied by her loyal pet Tuk Tuk, a hybrid armadillo-pug creature that serves as her faithful companion and transportation.
In her youth, Raya undergoes rigorous training under her father to protect the Gem, which maintains peace among the divided tribes of Kumandra—Heart, Fang, Spine, Tail, and Talon. Her father's vision of reuniting the lands leads to a fateful gathering where Raya befriends Namaari, the princess of Fang, only to be betrayed when Namaari's forces attempt to steal the Gem. The artifact shatters, unleashing the Druun once more and turning many, including Chief Benja, to stone. This devastating event propels Raya into a solitary quest, forging her into a distrustful yet resourceful survivor who must navigate a fractured world while seeking the last dragon, Sisu, to restore the Gem and her father.
Throughout her journey, Raya collects the scattered pieces of the Dragon Gem from the other tribes, facing perilous encounters and forming unlikely alliances with a diverse group of companions. Initially hardened by betrayal and loss, she gradually learns the value of trust and unity, confronting her own prejudices and ultimately collaborating with former rivals like Namaari to defeat the Druun. By the film's conclusion, Raya's growth culminates in the restoration of Kumandra as a united land, reviving the dragons and petrified people, and embodying the film's central theme that trust is the true source of strength.