Moana 2 makes a clear point to address the 'is she or isn't she a Princess' debate after the first film with a fourth wall gag where Moana states she's "not a princess" to which Maui replies: "I know, but a lot of people think that you are." However, in the real world she is an official Disney Princess.

One of the biggest things Moana does is that she faces an entire generation’s trauma. The whole reason her island didn’t sail anymore is because of what happened to its members. But Moana comes back after restoring the heart and proudly guides her family and her tribe into a new age that their ancestors would be proud of.