'Moana 2' has a dramatic ending with a big twist. Here's what it means for the future of the franchise.

• "Moana 2," a sequel to the 2016 hit Disney film, is now in theaters.
• The movie has a dramatic ending.
• It has big implications for the future of the franchise, including a possible "Moana 3."

Warning: Major spoilers below if you haven't seen "Moana 2."

"Moana 2" follows the titular hero on another adventure at sea, and it concludes with a thrilling ending.

In the Disney sequel, Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) must find the lost island of Motufetu, which the evil god Nalo has sunk to the bottom of the sea.

On her new quest, the wayfinder has some more help from her village as members Loto, Moni, and grumpy farmer Kele join her. (Heihei the rooster and Pua the pig, her sidekicks from the first "Moana" movie, are also along for the ride, as well as a member of the Kakamora coconut pirate tribe, who were antagonists in the 2016 film).

And, of course, there's the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), who, by the end of the movie, teams up with Moana.

When they all get to Nalo, the plan is for Maui to raise the island from the sea using his hook while Moana and the others distract Nalo, which has taken the form of a ferocious storm.

All goes according to plan until Nalo strips Maui of his demigod powers. It's now up to Moana, who dives into the ocean and touches the island, breaking Nalo's curse.

In the process, it seems Moana has been killed. While held in Maui's arms, Moana's ancestors appear and not only bring her back to life but turn her into a demigod like Maui.

This transformation is revealed when she holds her trusty oar after coming back to life. Like Maui's hook, it now has special powers. Once she touches it, the oar glows, and a tattoo appears on Moana's arm, chronicling her saving Motufetu.

It's not clear yet if Moana will have shape-shifting powers like Maui, but the ending teases that when she puts her oar in the water she'll get some kind of powers.

A mid-credits tease for 'Moana 3' shows the adventures aren't over yet

The movie concludes with Moana, her crew, and Maui all returning to Moana's island and celebrating that tribes from all over the oceans are reconnected now that the Nalo curse is broken.

But a mid-credit scene reveals that Nalo isn't done yet.

It turns out that Matangi, a servant of Nalo who helps Moana in the middle of the movie, was not released from the god's powers after Motufetu was raised. Still under the thumb of Nalo, the mid-credit scene teases that Matangi will be helping Nalo as the god sets out to take on Moana.

And Nalo isn't the only one looking for payback. The scene also teases the return of Tamatoa, the enormous singing crab from the first "Moana" movie.

While Disney hasn't officially confirmed "Moana 3" yet, there's clearly plenty of story left to tell.

"Moana 2" is now in theaters.