- “My name Raymond, but everybody call me 'Ray'.”
- ―Ray introducing himself to Tiana and Naveen
Raymond, better known as Ray, is a major character in Disney's 2009 animated feature film The Princess and the Frog. He is a Cajun firefly with a romantic infatuation with the evening star, Evangeline.
Quick Answers
Who does Ray fall in love with in The Princess and the Frog?
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Who provides the voice for Ray in The Princess and the Frog?
Background[]
Ray was an old firefly residing in the Louisiana Bayou of New Orleans alongside his massive family. His worn-down and damaged appearance have significance, indicating a rough and interesting history throughout his life.[1]
At some point in time, Ray met and fell in love with the Evening Star, known as Evangeline; he sees her as a goddess and proves to be quite attached to her. Though it appeared that Evangeline was nothing more than a star, fireflies were revealed to become stars once they die, heavily implying that Evangeline was once an actual firefly who eventually passed away. Though, despite her death, Ray's love for her continued to shine brightly. His one dream mentioned in the film was to someday unite with his love.
Development[]
According to The Princess and the Frog's DVD commentary, during the earliest stages of Disney's The Frog Prince-inspired film, the idea of a firefly in love with a star was always prominent; when John Musker and Ron Clements came on to direct the film, they kept the idea. Ron and John's iteration of the character was inspired by Cajun culture, an ethnic group in Louisiana. Ray's character was imbued with Cajun mannerisms and idioms, including the ability to speak French and love for zydeco among others.
The commentary also reveals that Ray was originally going to recover after being stepped on by Facilier. However, the filmmakers believed the story was too light; that wishes it was suggested that Ray should die and that his demise would result in him becoming a star beside Evangeline. The idea was praised, thus Ray's final fate was altered. The director also noted that the circumstances of Ray's death made Dr. Facilier more imposing as a villain.
Personality[]
Friendly and helpful, despite being the smallest creature in the movie, Ray has the biggest heart. Some of his loves include music, singing, and entertaining guests of all kind. The firefly was also shown to have no real fear; he helped fight off the frog hunters attacking Tiana and Naveen, as well as taking on Facilier's shadow demons all by himself. He is also extremely generous and agrees to help Tiana and Naveen without any reward expected (though he receives one unexpectedly nevertheless). Though undeniably sweet, Ray is rather eccentric, often shown to be very excitable, in spite of serious situations. Also, when angered, his golden light becomes a bright red color.
In spite of being rather eccentric, Ray proves to be quite intelligent and wise, also appearing to be considerably older than the rest of the main cast (with the obvious exception of Mama Odie). With his wisdom, he acts as, not only a good friend, but a father figure to Tiana several times throughout the film, specifically through Tiana's more emotional moments as a frog.
Powers and abilities[]
Ray is a peculiar character, in that he appears to harbor some form of magical abilities within his photic organ, though it is never explained or fully delved into. With said organ, he was shown to create images of light, such as inscriptions, in the open air (like the spelling of his name, or a heart made of tiny particles of light). He was also shown to produce immense heat from his organ, as he was able to carve a burning inscription in tree bark, and light lotus flowers to have them illuminate like a lighthouse, during "Ma Belle Evangeline".
Most notably, however, he was shown to have the power to destroy shadow spirits. These spirits are supposedly only destroyed by light magic, such as the kind of power generated from Mama Odie's wand, yet Ray has the power to eliminate them with ease, furthering the implication that Ray harbors mystical attributes. Due to his size, however, his power only leaves a scratch, but it was not enough to destroy shadow spirits, as Ray's physical strength was revealed to be weaker than Mama Odie.
Appearances[]
The Princess and the Frog[]
Ray meeting Tiana and Naveen.
One day in New Orleans, Louisiana, a handsome prince named Naveen was turned into a frog by a witch doctor named Facilier. Thinking she was a princess, Naveen kissed a waitress named Tiana at a masquerade in an attempt to break the spell. However, all this does is turn Tiana into a frog as well. The two eventually end up in the bayou, meeting Louis the alligator, who decides to assist the two frogs by taking them to Mama Odie to break the curse. When Tiana and Naveen's frog instincts kick in, they attempt to eat Ray. However, they embarrassingly fail, having their tongues end up tied together and then having their entire bodies tangled up in each other's tongues thanks to Louis. Spotting this, Ray flies over to help. After freeing them, he introduces himself. With the three greeted, Tiana and Naveen explain to Ray that they are actually humans under a frog spell put upon them by the evil Dr. Facilier and that they need to find Mama Odie to break the spell. Ray explains they are going in the wrong direction (as a result of Louis) and offers to lead the way, with the brief help of his firefly family. Soon enough, they are off. Eventually, he offers to take them the rest of the way, allowing his family to return home. As they continue on, he tells Tiana, Naveen, and Louis about his girlfriend, Evangeline. After the romantic description, they're attacked by frog hunters. Ray tries to fend one of them off, but he defeats him, rendering him unconscious for the rest of the battle, which is fortunately won by Tiana and Naveen. He is soon revived by Louis.
Ray sings "Ma Belle Evangeline".
Tiana and Naveen fix up dinner for the group, and afterward, Evangeline appears, having Ray starstruck as he sings a ballad about his beloved. During it, Naveen and Tiana begin falling for one another, much to his happiness. He, as well as Louis, begins setting a mood for them, helping them realize their feelings. Ray even makes lily flowers glow and creates pink and green spotlights on Tiana and Naveen while they dance together for the first time. Unfortunately, the romantic moment is cut short when a hoard of shadow demons sent by Facilier capture Naveen. He is soon rescued by Mama Odie, however, who takes the quartet to her home; a boat in a tree. Eventually, Mama Odie informs Naveen and Tiana that the only way for them to become human again is for Naveen to be kissed by Charlotte La Bouff (Tiana's best friend), who has been made the Princess of Mardi Gras for until midnight. Ray accompanies them back to New Orleans on a riverboat, and in during which, Naveen reveals his feelings for Tiana to Ray after he told Evangeline first, much to Ray's joy. Later after the riverboat docks at New Orleans, he accidentally tells Tiana in his excitement of Tiana getting married to Naveen, though Tiana only brightens up upon hearing the news, prompting her to go out to the Mardi Gras parade and look for the prince to proclaim her love for him.
Ray evading Facilier and Lawrence with the talisman.
However, unbeknownst to Ray, Louis, and Tiana, Naveen was kidnapped by Facilier's demons and imprisoned. It turns out, he wants to steal the fortune of Charlotte, making him the wealthiest and most powerful man in New Orleans. To do so, he has his minion, Lawrence, disguise himself as Naveen via magic to marry Charlotte, thus inheriting her father's fortune. Unfortunately, the master plan was in near completion as Tiana and Ray come across Charlotte and what appears to be Naveen (who is really Lawrence in disguise) on a parade float about to marry. Feeling he betrayed their love, a heartbroken Tiana leaves the scene to a cemetery. Ray tries to talk her through the moment, but she snaps and hurts him by calling Evangeline nothing more than a star, telling him to open his eyes before he gets hurt like she did. This drives him to tears and looks at Evangeline, but he refuses to believe what Tiana said about her and claims for it to be nothing more than her "speaking out a broken heart", and instead goes to reveal the truth about Naveen. Ray flies to Lawrence and whispers in his ear “Cap, what you doing, son?”, but Lawrence can’t understand Ray as all he hears from him is buzzing. He then discovers the Naveen about to marry Charlotte is actually a phony when he finds the real one locked in a small chest. Ray heroically frees Naveen and puts a stop to Facilier's plot. However, it turns out Lawrence's disguise is activated by a voodoo talisman. Naveen pulls it off Lawrence and throws it to Ray, who flies away with the talisman. Facilier then summons his shadow demons to retrieve the talisman from him. When he reaches Tiana at the cemetery, he hands the talisman over to her and tells her the purpose with it. They see the shadow demons arriving, which prompts Ray to warn Tiana that she mustn't let the Shadow Man get the talisman no matter what. After she flees, Ray fights off Facilier's shadow demons, but the latter soon arrives and crushes Ray with his foot, fatally injuring him. His wounded body is recovered by Louis, who arrives too late to find Ray lying on the ground.
Ray as a star beside Evangeline.
After Facilier's demise through the heroism of Tiana and Lawrence gets arrested for impersonation after being discovered by Charlotte and her father Big Daddy, Tiana and Naveen reunite with each other and they proclaim their love, but the midnight deadline has already expired, supposedly leaving the two to be permanent frogs. Nevertheless, they decide it does not matter whether they're humans or frogs, so long as they could be together. Just then, Louis arrives with Ray in his hands explaining to Tiana and Naveen that the Shadow Man laid poor Ray low and he’s hurt awful bad. He gently places Ray on a leaf. After Tiana pets his head, he looks over to see Tiana and Naveen in their seemingly permanent frog forms and asks why they’re still frogs, to which they reply that they’re staying that way and they’re staying together. Ray tells them that he likes the latter very much and Evangeline likes it too. He silently gives his final farewell before peacefully passing away as his light slowly flickers out. A funeral is soon held for Ray in the bayou with Tiana, Naveen, Louis, and Ray's family. As they all mourn the death of their friend, a bright light shines down on everyone from above, drawing their attention up to the night sky that clears up. In the sky, a bright new star appears right next to Evangeline, identified as Ray. Tiana, Naveen, and Louis are rejoiced as Ray's firefly family cheers ecstatically for their relative, as he finally received his longing wish to be with his true love once again.
Eventually, after Tiana and Naveen turned back into humans upon getting married in the bayou, Ray is seen again one last time with Evangeline, both stars shining over New Orleans as Tiana sings and dances with Naveen during the opening of her new restaurant, Tiana's Palace, at the end of the film.
Other appearances[]
Ray makes a cameo in the animated short Electric Holiday during the end credits with Tiana.
In Once Upon a Studio, Ray joins all of the characters in singing "When You Wish Upon a Star" as the group photo is successfully taken to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Disney.
Video games[]
The Princess and the Frog[]
Ray in the video game
Along with the rest of the film's characters, Ray appears in the video game adaption of the movie, being featured in several mini-games with his firefly family, Louis, Tiana, Naveen, and Mama Odie. During the game's main storyline, however, he is absent, being as the story takes place after the events of the film. However, during the final chapter, Tiana and Naveen have his firefly cousins put on a spectacle for him and Evangeline on the opening night of Tiana's Palace as they watched down on them.
Kinect: Disneyland Adventures[]
Ray makes a minor non-speaking cameo during the Mickey's Soundsational Parade mini-game as part of Tiana's float.
Disney Parks[]
Ray in Disney On Ice
Ray's likeness can be found in the Disney theme parks. To date, his only appearance as a walkaround character has been in Disney On Ice: Dare to Dream.
Disneyland Resort[]
Ray makes a cameo in World of Color, during the "So Close" sequence, entering Tiana and Naveen's first cameo.
Ray can also be seen in Mickey's Soundsational Parade as a part of Tiana's float alongside Louis and Naveen. While the float passes by, he sings "Gonna Take You There".
Ray is also seen as an animatronic in the Main Street, U.S.A. Enchanted Window display themed after The Princess and the Frog.
Ray serves as the inspiration for a themed shop called Ray's Berets, located in Bayou Country.
Walt Disney World[]
In Florida, Ray's likeness is featured throughout Disney's Port Orleans Resort.
Ray's voice can be heard singing Gonna Take You There in Tiana's Bayou Adventure (via archived audio from the film). An instrumental version of “Ma Belle Evangeline” can be heard playing in the queue.
Ray can be seen in Tiana's portrait on display inside the Princess Fairytale Hall in the Magic Kingdom.
He also appears on Tiana and Naveen's float in the Magic Kingdom parade, Festival of Fantasy.
Tokyo Disney Resort[]
Artwork depicting Louis and Ray is featured along the architecture near Pirates of the Caribbean in Tokyo Disneyland. Ray’s likeness is also featured within the guest rooms of the Fantasy Springs Hotel.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Ray's death seems to be an apparent reference to Peter Pan, after he dies he joins his love Evangeline in the sky and becomes the second star to the right.
- Ray's death may also be a reference to The Lion King, in that Timon believes aloud that stars are fireflies.
- Speaking of Peter Pan, similarly to Tinker Bell, Ray's color changes from yellow to red when he's angry.
- Ray is one of the few Disney comic reliefs to die on screen along with Bing Bong from Inside Out.
- In storybooks and in Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream, Ray does not die.
- There are many references to Ray in the construction of Tiana's Palace. The walls of the dinner booths and the headlamps are shaped like lily pads which are symbolic of when Ray and his family helped Tiana and Prince Naveen down the bayou to Mama Odie, the table centerpieces are lit bayou flowers, which are symbolic of the time he serenaded to Naveen and Tiana's first dance, and the restaurant is mostly decorated with green and lit gold like Ray. This implies that Tiana and Naveen still greatly miss him.
- Ray is another insect character who lacks 6 legs like most insects and is shown to have only 4 limbs like Spike the Bee, Evinrude from The Rescuers, and Zipper from Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers.
- Jim Cummings has said in an interview that Ray is one of his favorite roles and would enjoy doing shorts starring the character. As of 2020, plans for any animated short films starring Ray are still yet to come to fruition.
- During "Gonna Take You There", Ray says, "Alright, Lulu, let's get to it, darling!". This is actually a reference to Jim Cummings' daughter, also named Lulu.
- In A Twisted Tale: Almost There, Ray is mentioned when Tiana demands Facilier to keep Ray close to her, only for Facilier to reveal that he stepped on Ray for stealing the talisman, leaving her devastated.
- On a Port Orleans runner, it would feature Br'er Rabbit and Mr. Bluebird from Song of the South, and Tiana, Naveen, and Ray from The Princess and the Frog, meaning that they live in the same universe.
- In Disney Mirrorverse, fireflies can be seen hovering around Mirrorverse Tiana, possibly a reference to Ray.
References[]
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