Tuk Tuk is a supporting character in Disney’s 2021 animated feature film Raya and the Last Dragon. A third-pill bug, third-armadillo, and third-pug hybrid,[2] he is Raya’s pet, with the ability to roll into a ball as a means of transportation.
Background[]
Official Description[]
- Part-pill bug, part-pug, part-high speed off-road vehicle and all adorable, Tuk Tuk has been Raya’s best friend since she could hold him in the palm of her hand. Now they are both grown, and Tuk Tuk is Raya’s faithful, gigantic steed. Together, they tear through the varied terrains of Kumandra at incredible speeds on a journey to find the last dragon and save the world.
Appearances[]
Raya and the Last Dragon[]
As a young Raya notices a trap blocking her path, she sends a young Tuk Tuk to get past the trap, telling him to stay focused in a plan for her to find the Dragon Gem in a hidden chamber. After Raya is declared a Guardian of the Dragon Gem, Tuk Tuk sits on Raya's shoulder as she enthusiastically explains to her father, Chief Benja, what she knows about the other lands, along with when Benja explains that the other lands are their enemies only because they think the Dragon Gem brings prosperity to their land of Heart.
During a conversation between Raya and Namaari, Tuk Tuk listens to Namaari recapping the legend of the mighty dragon Sisu, including voicing her hopes that the dragon would return to Kumandra one day to save the kingdom. After the conversation, Tuk Tuk follows the two inside the same chamber where the Dragon Gem rests, then witnesses Namaari's betrayal to Raya and attempt to steal the gem for her own kingdom, Fang.
Six years later, Tuk Tuk, who has grown into an adult, along with Raya, travels with Raya across the harsh desert of Tail as Raya continues her quest to find Sisu. Tuk Tuk becomes distracted upon seeing a lizard scurrying in the desert, to which Raya tells him to stay focused. Suddenly, a Druun appears and prepares to attack the two, though Raya eradicates the monster with a piece of the Dragon Gem. Arriving at the spot where a shipwreck lies (where Sisu is laying dormant), Tuk Tuk attempts to follow, but cannot enter due to his full size. After Raya asks Sisu for help, Tuk Tuk is briefly seen drinking the water from the river before he sees the droplets absorbing each other as they form into Sisu. Sisu offers Tuk Tuk a piece of jackfruit jerky to him, but he refuses it.
Tuk Tuk then takes Raya and Sisu to a sacred cavern where many traps lie just as he waits outside. As Raya and Sisu (who has shapeshifted into a human from the gem piece she and Raya had taken) escape from Namaari and her mercenaries, the two board on Tuk Tuk to further escape. To avoid being chased by the cats, Tuk Tuk jumps into the water, then on to a boat, which is a Shrimporium employed by Boun. Raya bargains with Boun to take the three of them to Talon. While on the Shrimporium, Tuk Tuk eats some of the dumplings while Boun prepares the house special for Raya and Sisu. As Boun's boat arrives at a swamp, Tuk Tuk gets worried that there are Druun lurking by, then listens to Boun explain that the reason why he never leaves his boat is because of the Druun.
Upon arriving at the marketplace of Talon, Raya and Tuk Tuk walk across the marketplace, then are halted when they notice Noi throwing a tantrum. While Raya inspects Noi, she notices three Ongis on Tuk Tuk's back trying to steal the gem pieces, revealing the Ongis are con artists alongside Noi, which leads to a chase across the harbor. Tuk Tuk manages to foil Noi and the three Ongis to retrieve the pieces of the gem, then helps Raya retrieve the next one from Dang Hu. On their way to Spine, Noi and the Ongis make a mess in Boun's kitchen, during which a pot of spicy sauce accidentally falls on Tuk Tuk's dumplings, to which he reacts to it in disgust.
Upon arriving in Spine, Sisu and Raya are taken prisoner by Tong, the lone survivor in the land. To rescue them, Tuk Tuk and Boun barge into Tong's hut as Noi and the three Ongis tie Tong to a post. When Raya devises a plan to Tong to protect Raya's friends from Namaari and her warriors (who have arrived in Spine looking for Raya), Tuk Tuk escapes with Tong across the forest along with the rest of Raya's companions (though Sisu reveals her true form to everyone to save Raya from Namaari).
As the Shrimporium arrives in Fang, Tuk Tuk listens to Raya explain to her friends about the soup her father made before he was petrified, just before a flare is launched in the sky, interrupting the conversation. The next day, Tuk Tuk and the rest of Raya's friends confront Namaari before she accidentally fires her arrow at Sisu. As the Druun continue plaguing Fang, Tuk Tuk helps Boun rescue numerous surviving citizens before they can be petrified. After Tuk Tuk is petrified, Raya and her friends are taken by the Druun after giving their gem pieces to Namaari, who puts it back together before becoming petrified herself.
With all the pieces of the Dragon Gem reunited, Tuk Tuk is revived alongside everyone throughout Kumandra. Tuk Tuk then takes Raya back to Heart where she encounters her father who was revived by the magic. Later, Tuk Tuk then walks alongside everyone else in rejoice.
Once Upon a Studio[]
Tuk Tuk appears outside of Walt Disney Animation Studios, joining other characters in a group photo to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Disney. During "When You Wish Upon a Star", Tuk Tuk has Raya and the Ongis sit on his back as the group photo is successfully taken.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- In Thailand, a tuk-tuk is a vehicle used as urban transportation in cities such as Bangkok.
- Tuk Tuk was created out of necessity, as the story required a mode of transportation for Raya. After brainstorming ideas for what could serve such a purpose in a fantasy environment, the filmmakers created a hybrid animal with the ability to curl into a ball and ride. The visual development artists later expanded on this idea to create a full-fledged character in Tuk Tuk.[2]
- Tuk Tuk is Alan Tudyk’s eighth consecutive role in the Disney Animated Canon.
- Heihei, who coincidentally was also voiced by Alan Tudyk, made a cameo in Raya and the Last Dragon.
- Tuk Tuk is one of the few animal sidekicks in Disney to be both fictional and a hybrid of two different kinds of species.
- During the end of Strange World, Tuk Tuk can be seen from the group of creatures saying goodbye to the Clades after destroying the Pando and restoring the heart of the giant turtle.
- Additionally, the Tuk Tuk cameo is not the only Easter egg connected to Raya and the Last Dragon featured in Strange World; the river seen on the map of Avalonia has a striking resemblance to the Kumandra river.
References[]
- ↑ Yang, Rachel (January 26, 2021). "Watch Awkwafina's Sisu in action in new Raya and the Last Dragon trailer" (Article). EW.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hunter, Natalie (January 26, 2021). "Raya And The Last Dragon Producer Shares The Secret Origins of Tuk Tuk" (Article). ScreenRant.
External links[]
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