Ray

Raymond, commonly 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.
==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.Drawing Ray from Disney's 'The Princess and the Frog'
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, he 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, he 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, he 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===
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 everyone greeted, Tiana and Naveen explain to him that they are actually humans under a frog curse put upon them by the evil Dr. Facilier and that they need to find Mama Odie to break the curse. 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. He tries to fend them off, but one of the hunters 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.
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 demons sent by Facilier attack and capture Naveen. They are soon rescued by Mama Odie, however, who takes them to her home; a boat in a tree. 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 until midnight. Ray accompanies them back to New Orleans, and in during which, Naveen finally reveals his feelings for Tiana to him, much to the latter's joy. Afterward, he accidentally tells Tiana, though she only brightens up upon hearing the news, prompting her to go out and look for the prince to proclaim their love once they docked in New Orleans.
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 near completion as Tiana and Ray come across Charlotte and what appeared 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. 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 her and claims for it to be nothing more than her "speaking out a broken heart", and instead goes to reveal the truth. He 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 heroically finds the real one locked in a small chest. He frees him and puts a stop to Facilier's plot. However, it turns out Lawrence's disguise is activated by a voodoo talisman. Naveen pulls the trinket off Lawrence and throws to Ray who flies away with it. Facilier then summons his demons to stop him and when he reaches Tiana, he hands the talisman over to her and tells her that she mustn't let Shadow Man get it no matter what. Afterward, Ray fights off Facilier's demons, but the latter soon arrives and crushes Ray, fatally injuring him. His wounded body is recovered by Louis, who takes him to safety.
After Facilier's demise through the heroism of Tiana and Lawrence is arrested for impersonation after being discovered by Charlotte and her father, 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 and he looks over to Tiana and Naveen 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 that very much and Evangeline likes that too. He gives his final farewell before peacefully passing away. A funeral is held for Ray in the bayou with Tiana, Naveen, Louis, and Ray's family. As they all mourn the death of their friend, the sky clears up and a bright light shines down on everyone from above, drawing their attention up at the sky. In the night, 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 receives his longing wish to be with his true love once again. Ray is seen again as a star one last time with Evangeline, both 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===
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'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.
*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 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 him. This implies that Tiana and Naveen still greatly miss him.
*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 shouts, "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 him close to her only for Facilier to reveal that he stepped on him 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, Prince 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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Category:The Princess and the Frog characters
Category:Tiana's Bayou Adventure characters
Category:Disney characters
Category:Males
Category:Heroes
Category:Insects
Category:Wonderful World of Color
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Category:Lovers
Category:Characters who fly
Category:Anthropomorphic characters
Category:Deceased characters
Category:Characters in video games
Category:Disney on Ice characters
Category:Mickey's Soundsational Parade
Category:Electric Holiday
Category:Adults
Category:Animated characters
Category:Characters in the Disney animated features canon
Category:Elderly characters
Category:Disney Emoji Blitz