WARNING: SPOILERS FOR WONDER WOMAN AND MOANA; YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

In films, especially in battle/confrontation scenes, the direction of which the characters are facing and moving in matters. There's a common rule used in filmmaking that teaches why it matters and how the direction of the characters are being portrayed facing matters. While this rule isn't always used by everyone, this does apply to movies and other visual arts most of the time.

In Western culture, we read right to left, so subconsciously, that's the way our eyes always want to look. It's easier for us that way. So when a character on screen is moving from left to right, it's because that character is the protagonist or because that character is the more powerful one. Sometimes, it's for both reasons.

During the No-Man's Land scene in Wonder Woman, the Amazon warrior marches across the battlefield towards an entire platoon of her enemies left to right. It's one of the most epic scenes of the film, and Diana's first big victory. In contrast, for a good chuck of the final battle scene against the final boss villain, Wonder Woman doesn't make a lot of movement left to right. Most of her movements on screen are portrayed as right to left, left to top, top to bottom, bottom to left, etc. This is when she's losing the fight. When the tides finally turn in her favor at the end, the camera shows the villain on the right facing left as Diana calmly walks towards him, going from left to right. Once she's finally steady and consistent in her left to right movements, she wins.

Sometimes, this screen direction rule is flipped upside-down to be used in an equally powerful way, like in Moana. During the majestic "Know Who You Are" scene, Moana walks from right to left as Te Ka storms from left to right. In this situation, Te Ka is the more powerful one of the two; she is ready and eager to destroy Moana. Without knowledge of what she plans to do, it seems as if Moana has no chance. But in the end, it's not Moana's power that wins, it's her kindness and courage that frees Te Fiti. That's why Moana moved from right to left in this scene; she wasn't coming to fight, she was coming to give back what wasn't hers.

So that was a quick film lesson from your girl Emerald. I hope that was somewhat cohesive and educational!