Ti Moune

Ti Moune is the main protagonist of Once on This Island.

Survivor of the Flood
Ti Moune is a peasant girl. She is first seen as a child saved from a flood by the gods, Erzulie, Agwe, Asaka, and Papa Ge, after which she is adopted by Mama Euralie and Tonton Julian.

Falling in Love
Years later, as she works in the fields, Ti Moune sees a car driving around the island, owned by Daniel Beauxhomme, a grande homme, who Ti Moune is instantly smitten with. The gods hear her prayer, and Ezurlie and Papa Ge make a bet on whether love or death is stronger- the answer to which Ti Moune will decide on her journey. She then saves Daniel after a storm crashes his car, and, though her parents are initially reluctant, they let her go to the Hotel Beauxhomme, Daniel's home, to be with him.

Journey
Along the way, Asaka gives Ti Moune whatever she needs for the journey, and Ti Moune arrives at the hotel. At first Daniel does not recognize her until she reminds him of the scar on his chest, proof that she saved his life.

The Ball
A ball is then held at the hotel. Ti Moune arrives, dressed beautifully, and, encouraged by Andrea Deveraux, dances for the grand hommes with the other peasants, with everyone else joining in as a result. Andrea then tells Ti Moune that she and Daniel are engaged, which results in Papa Ge giving Ti Moune a knife to kill Daniel. Ti Moune, however, selflessly refuses to kill Daniel, successfully making it clear that love is more powerful than death. However, her attempted murder leads to her being kicked out of the hotel.

Death
Ti Moune then spends two weeks waiting for Daniel behind the gate without any food or drink, or sleep. Andrea and Daniel, married, throw coins to the peasants as they pass. Ti Moune gets her chance to see Daniel one last time; she receives a coin, as well as a final kiss from him, and then she dies peacefully from exhaustion and starvation.

Becoming a Spirit
Ti Moune's parents mourn her, as do the gods, who are also proud of Ti Moune for her bravery and selflessness. Erzulie takes Ti Moune to Agwe, who sends Ti Moune afloat to her side of the island in a wave, and Papa Ge carries her to shore where Asaka accepts her and holds her. Then, the gods bless Ti Moune and transform her into a beautiful tree that contains Ti Moune's spirit, which also lives forever and cracks the walls of the Hotel Beauxhomme, preventing its gates from closing ever again. Daniel and Andrea's son then meets a beautiful peasant girl under the branches of Ti Moune, who, in spirit form, touches their hearts and lets them love. As a spirit within the tree, Ti Moune now protects and watches over peasants and grand hommes for their lifetimes, “stands against storms, fills people with the power and wonder of her love, and calls them to share their laughter and tears, as mysteries and miracles befall them as the years go by” (“Why We Tell The Story”), during which her story is retold over and over again, filling more listeners with love and wonder.

Appearance
Ti Moune is a slender, dark-skinned peasant girl living on the island. She has two costume changes in the original Broadway production and its followup productions, with a third toward the finale in the 2017 Broadway revival.

Gallery
Once on This Island Wiki has a collection of images and media related to /Gallery.

Trivia

 * Ti Moune is based on the titular character from Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid, as both heroes save their true love from death and peacefully become eternal spirits after their deaths when they lose their loves to other girls.