It leaves me very confused and a little sad that there isn’t a richer, larger, more united and more enthusiastic fanbase for the Avatar movies. I’ve been waiting for commentaries on the second movie, both indulging and critical, and there’s a mere trickle of content appearing in the tags. So far, they all fall in weirdly isolated columns of character x reader, Kiri stans, ‘I loved the movie!’ one liners, ‘boycott Avatar’, Na’vi learners and people being horny over clone!Quaritch on main. 

There isn’t much meta despite the universe being huge, fairly consistent, and ever-expanding. The like-to-reblog ratio on posts is catastrophic. There’s not much art. I miss people being excited. I miss discourse, headcanons and AUs! I miss people giving detailed reasons for the way they respond to the movie, no matter whether they liked it or not. Nothing seems to stick despite so many refined details, e.g. the Metkayina using sign language underwater and having inner eyelids like amphibians! Or the fact that the explanations for the use of English, Kiri’s and Spider’s existence etc. were quite thought-out and satisfying. 

Sure, there’s the epic Pandoran world on one hand, and then there’s of course the “Cameronism”: The two-pronged personal fantasy of the director who is playfully exploring colonialism as negative while reaffirming it in the same breath, combined with a bland, overly conservative story. If the plot really reflects Cameron’s thinking, it is dangerously outdated by 15-20 years and cannot stay relevant. But the point to me is: It was to be expected. 

Avatar and Avatar The Way Of Water are US-American Hollywood stories based on military culture. Once you know that, it is my firm belief that it’s possible to detach yourself from that lense. But perhaps I really am arguing from a merely European perspective that is so used to mediocre language dubs, the strange obsession with heroism, patriotism, weapons and violence, and other US-specific phenomenons that just feel generally outlandish to non-US viewers. We don’t have the same problems, so being constantly faced with yours through entertainment media causes us to... kinda tune those out and enjoy what’s left, tbh. Because some of them are really painfully cringe up to completely unthinkable to the rest of the world. Even the first Avatar was never intended as a global story; - although the RDA is supposedly composed of international players, the representation on Pandora is purely US-American, even more, it’s not even covering all of your own ethnic variety. So if we can’t even expect European, Asian, African and South-American scientists in the space mission, what are we supposed to expect about indigenous voices of smaller civilizations? 

What I’m trying to say is, US media currently have a certain range of messages they convey even here in Europe, because, well, you still have the monopoly on filmmaking and we watch all of your stuff. However, we are very aware that your POV is narrow and limited since it rarely actually applies to us. And sooo, what do we do with the reality of our own exclusion that we are inevitably constantly reflecting? We ignore it, we roll our eyes and don’t think too deeply on it, we leave you guys to solve your own problems and enjoy what’s given. Perhaps we are able to separate a fantastic narrative from the cultural/ political clashes that come with it a little better, because most of the time, we don’t identify with the latter. I’m not saying the differences are in any way good or that they should stay that way. I’m saying that from where I’m at, Batman, Spiderman and Avatar don’t look too different to me when it comes to elaborate escapist fantasies about good vs. evil, and media might not quite be as relevant to conflicts as they seem in the US. Education is much more important, and to act in real life rather than in fiction. As for me, I’ll appreciate Avatar like any other fandom space, because the concept is extraordinary, its future potential still enormous, and I would love for more positive interaction. I harbor the sliiiight hope that Cameron might grow out of his current spree and redeem himself in one of the later sequels. Since there are going to be 3 more of them, you know. There you go :)

So, it's pretty much a standard in the fandom that Lo'ak is described to be an exact copy of his dad, while Neteyam is the exact copy of his mum, right?

It's arguabel on the looks. I just think they share traits of both their parents but that's also not what this post is about.

I want to speak on the character traits the boys share with their parents.

Lo'ak is always made out to be a mini Jake. He's reckles just like his dad when he was young. He doesn't listen, has a big mouth, just like Jake. Yes.

But.

He shares one crucial trait with his mother. One that makes a big part of his character.

Neytiri and Lo'ak are both easily provoked. They are short tempered and impulsive when it comes to their family and loved ones.

Example: Lo'ak picking a fight with Aonung after he insulted Kiri. Just like Neytiri snapped at Ronal after she disrespected Jake. Neither of them thinking about possible consequences.

They both act without thinking, just jumping to defend their loved ones. In hindsight both realize their actions haven't been so wise but in that moment of anger they act on their feelings.

And then there is Jake and Neteyam. Both of them are able to stay level headed when faced with stressful situations.

While Jake used to be reckless in his youth, he was never as short tempered as Neytiri. It takes much to make him snap. That's why he is such a good leader. He is able to keep a cool head under pressure, he is able to think straight when angered. He also functions as Neytiri's tether in heated situations, making her calm and refocus.

Neteyam shares this trait with him. He's in full control about his actions. He's willing to let go of the anger he clearly felt when Aonung insulted Kiri, bc he knew of the consequences a fight would take.

You could argue here that that's because he's the oldest. True but his and Lo'ak's age only differ by a year and older siblings are not always this level headed. The goal is to protect the young ones, many don't think ahead of that.

But Neteyam does, because just like his father he thinks in a strategic way.

Example: Neteyam warning Aonung to stay away from Kiri but not acting on his anger and picking a fight, to prevent future difficulties for his family. Jake apologozing on Neytiri's behalf after Ronal disrespected him. He let's the attack on his own person slide, taking the hit to give his family a chance with the Metkayina clan.

They are thinking things through before they act.

I'm not at all saying that the boys share traits with only one of their parents. It's just that these two characteristics stand out a lot, mirroring their parents strongly.

That's it.

Have a nice day and bye!💙✨

Avatar Rant: Snowy Region Na'vi

Am I the only one who doesn't like the fanon snow navi designs? Specifically this (I used shitty AI images I found off of pinterest to illustrate the point and to avoid using actual artwork from people 🩷):

(Before I continue my God these are creepy 😭 AI genuinely cannot create Na'vi without them looking uncanny, disturbing and far too human)

I can understand why people choose the more predictable design philosophy – blonde hair, blue eyes, pale/white skin, pretty two pieces – because that's relatively how this sort of lifestyle has been portrayed to us in the media. Every movie or show set in a snowy region always features mostly eastern European characters, so naturally people decide that their snow na'vi must resemble eastern European people to a degree, and this bothers me.

Not because they look like white people (though that is like 25% why ngl) but because it just isn't realistic? Na'vi may be inspired by humans but they are still a different species living on a harsh and deadly planet that humans can't survive in, na'vi winter and snow would be excruciatingly difficult for them, and they would need to adapt to it.

I just don't see how they would be so thin and petite and pale, people say to blend in, but why? Only a handful of animals in arctic regions are actually white to blend in (polar bears, arctic foxes etc.) so wouldn't it make more sense to base them off of arctic animals from the ice age? Back then, animals were bigger, bulkier, with thicker skin and hair all over to protect themselves from the crippling cold – with that in mind, wouldn't snow na'vi be bigger than average na'vi, and bulkier too? Unlike regular na'vi, it would make sense that the snow ones actually have body hair all over, maybe even fur if you want to take it that far.

And if you're basing them off of INDIGENOUS people, then appearance, features and fashion wise, wouldn't it make more sense to base them off of the actual Inuit people of the arctic instead of Elsa from frozen 😭

Because realistically why would they wear flowey dresses and two pieces in weather that is probably 80% worse than any winter humanity has ever faced... especially since na'vi are all inspired by different non-white/european indigenous communities, and yes... non-white/European indigenous people do in fact live in cold, snowy, arctic regions...

To add a little bit of pseudo-psychology to it, it may be done in an attempt from white avatar fans for the most part to feel closer to the na'vi by adding a white adjacent sub-species, as the closer to europeans the na'vi look, the more they see themselves within the na'vi. However, that is purely speculation lol.

Also, I do NOT think you are racist or anti-indigenous or anything of the sort if your headcanon for snow na'vi looks anything like the examples! You're allowed to draw and design what you want, and just because tumblr user princess-nobody doesn't like it, doesn't mean it's bad.

TLDR: Fanon snow na'vi don't make sense and confuse me lol. Imo snow na'vi would be big and bulky behemoths that are covered in thick body hair and wear large, figure covering warm clothing, not skinny little russian girls in ballet outfits LMAOOOO.

My thoughts on tsalnu

"Tsalnu" is a baby pod in which, as stated in early draft of Avatar the Way of Water script, na'vi women give birth to their babies. It described as "a beautiful translucent chrysalis" and kind of works as an amniotic sac outside of the womb, connected to the mother through tsaheylu. We don't actually have any details on how it works and looks like since the existence of tsalnu hasn't yet been confirmed canon.

A lot of fans was not fascinated by this concept and wished that na'vi would be giving birth "normally" like humans. In this topic I'm a minority, because I think tsalnu is kind of cool. And before I tell you why, I think... they still need to work on this concept because it's still a little weird and maybe if it looked more pretty then more people would like it? (Well, they liked pinkish worm-like wiggly tendrils in kuru so why wouldn't they? Ke tslolam) And now let's get to the point!

Why I think it's cool?

I'm surprised I never saw anyone stating that, but it's actually pretty cool and useful evolutional mechanism. Yeah it maybe looks weird, but I'm just reminding you that na'vi are alien species that had their own evolutional journey and wasn't created by anyone artificially and they are too part or the Pandoran alien ecosystem. So why is it cool? You know how human women needed to grow their pelvic bone wider, so that our giant big brain babies could be born? And it's still freaking painful to give birth? And if it wasn't for our science and medicine women would massively die from bleeding out and all this stuff? Well, na'vi do not have this problem, they have chrysalis.

Chrysalis allows to give birth to a much smaller baby that will come out more easily, which is a lot safer for the mother. And then she can keep nourishing her baby just fine outside of the womb until it's strong enough. Just like a kangaroo 🦘. And when baby is hatching out of it's tsalnu it's already big and strong enough to hold it's own head. Human newborns require constant attention and care from it's parents and are a lot more vulnerable at this period of time. When na'vi babies are out of their tsalnu parents can carry them around in a sling while doing their chores, fishing or gathering fruits and not worry about anything.

Just my ramblings

I've been thinking a lot on how female na'vi reproductive system works and this just bother me so much. They are non-placental, so... maybe tsalnu is a something like an egg? Egg AND amniotic sac at the same time. Somehow. Gosh I need this natgeo documentary to come out as fast as it can I have so many questions 😫😫😫

Like, is it that only mother can nourish baby in tsalnu? Or anyone can? Everyone has kuru... If only mother can, I suppose that na'vi can give birth only to one child at the time since they only have one kuru, or, if anyone can, then we can't have an exact number.. But I'd say two at max, so that both parents would be carrying tsalnu around.

I still have a lot of ideas on na'vi birth, like how it works for other animals and how they developed their own ways of taking care of tsalnu, make illustrations of how tsalnu looks like in everyday na'vi life, mating and breeding cycles, this is so interesting!!! I wanna ask my friend that is studying at med university how she thinks it all works I feel so nerdy fuck oof *catching my breath*

@annestea 👋👋

Atlantis: the Lost Empire subverts the "White Savior" trope so well and here's my Ted talk tangent

Atlantis: the Lost Empire is just Avatar but with a smarter story. Both films feature a young white man discovering a foreign culture, falling for the culture's princess, and saving the natives' way of life. Both films commentate on the exploitation of indigenous people for their resources. The biggest fundamental difference between Avatar and Atlantis is how the white male leads approach their scenarios. Milo Thatch is a wide-eyed scholar who just wants to learn; Jake Sullivan is a soldier infiltrating the culture so he can exploit them. Milo never had any intention of hurting/exploiting the natives but the people around him did; Jake knew the end goal was exploitation and only changed his alliance when he fell in love. Kida comes to Milo for help and he approaches her with respect not condescension; Jake has to learn the planet and its people are worthy of respect. Milo is attracted to Kida but he doesn't save her so he can get the girl; he saves her to save her people (getting the girl was a luxury and even then, it's obvious they'll take things slow cuz there's more important things than romance like reconnecting the Atlanteans with the lost parts of their culture). The Atlanteans are also not harmless, primitive natives. They had super-advanced technology ie the Leviathan that took out a modern submarine in like 2 minutes while the Navi are overtly primitive, their simplicity treated as a virtue. The Atlanteans were so advanced that they sent themselves back to the Stone Age with their war tech. This little detail keeps the Atlanteans from being hippie-dippie natives who need rescuing and make them a cautionary tale; they used to be greedy, hyper-advanced warmongers and that hubris leaves their race and culture on the verge of extinction. Both the Navi and Atlanteans have spiritual, mystical aspects to them, but the Navi are anti-tech while it's only the rediscovery of their tech that allows the Atlanteans to save themselves. The primitive life we see the Atlanteans lead is not presented as ideal; it is the death throes of a culture, a fatal stagnation at the bottom of the world. When Kida and Milo meet, it's not the typical "more advanced culture taking from the weaker culture" that has come to define first contact between societies. It's quid pro quo: we both answer, we both listen, we both come away with more not one party coming away with less. No one is humbled or talked down to. As for the antagonists of both films (Avatar and Atlantis) the antagonists of Avatar are just cardboard cutouts. The antagonists of Atlantis are just disinherited individuals coming together for a treasure hunt. There's a gag where Milo asks what each character seeks and they all say "Money" but that's not it. They each want to pursue goals unique to them and they need money to do it. When the chips are down and it's either money or NOT dooming an entire lost tribe to death, they choose saving the tribe. The main big bads, Rourke and Helga, have just spent a day walking through a ruined city where people live in the remains of their greatness and think, "Yeah, we are so stealing their technology so we can reenact the fall of their civilization on our OWN civilization. Why? Cuz capitalism." Why am I talking so much about Atlantis but not Avatar? Because Avatar lacks depth. I've watched Atlantis a thousand times on my cheap 2000s-era TV and get pulled in each time but Avatar's just a pretty screensaver playing in the background.

I want to draw your attention to the puppy on Zhang's forehead. After seeing this, I can't help but imagine Zhang as a dog lover

I’m back with another lengthy ATWOW post, this time discussing Spider and Kiri!

Their budding relationship has captivated me so I thought I would list all the ways that the film sets them up to become a likely romantic pair in the sequels.

Before we begin, I want to point out that Spider and Kiri are not related through adoption in canon. That being said, I still respect anyone who is of that opinion.

Okay, here goes…

Evidence from ATWOW that a romance is likely developing between Spider and Kiri, and the reason why this is an inspired choice by James Cameron.

— First up, in every scene they share, Kiri and Spider exchange some form of physical contact. This ranges from casual, playful, and protective touches, to holding hands, to reassuring hugs. While most of these gestures are not exclusively romance-coded, they happen repeatedly, reinforcing the physically intimate bond between Kiri and Spider. Far more intimate than most. Here are a few examples among many:

she helps paint his body with blue stripes

he teasingly grabs her tail, which is a direct parallel to Jake and Neytiri flirting in the first film

she pulls him into a comforting hug in the science lab

this one makes me laugh—even the Recoms hold them captive as a pair, which is hilarious to me because there are like twelve Recoms to four kids, but for some reason they can only spare one for Kiri and Spider 😂

they stick close together throughout the Titanic scene, helping each other climb and holding onto one another

and the big one—Kiri places her hand over his heart after the final battle and Spider holds it there

— Kiri and Spider also have palpable chemistry. They share some very meaningful glances and sweet smiles. These moments are all protracted, which means that the camera lingers on them for longer than usual for maximum impact. They are also very playful with each other in the lighter moments of the film, which is basically the definition of flirting.

— They care for and defend one another to a profound degree. Kiri comforts Spider with reassuring words and physical touch (mirrored by the other romantic couple in the film, Lo’ak and Tsireya), while Spider rages against any threat to Kiri.

— Kiri calls Spider ‘Monkey Boy’. No one else calls him this. It is a term of endearment—her pet name for him. This differs from Tuktirey being called ‘Tuk’, which is just a nickname.

— A key moment in the film that develops their relationship is when Spider finds Kiri in the forest and wakes her up from her trance. This is an important scene for her character as it introduces the audience to her connection to Eywa and the environment of Pandora. Spider is the one who shares this scene with her. Speaking of meaningful glances and sweet smiles…this scene continues to establish their familiarity with each other.

— Another way the film sets up a future romance is by having their current relationship acknowledged by other characters. Jake, who was once human, knows that Kiri is very fond of Spider, who is human. He recognizes that she is depressed because they have been separated and she is missing him. It’s even likely that Jake has considered the possibility of there being feelings between the two of them, because he was once in that situation himself with Neytiri.

— A James Cameron callback: Spider and Kiri having their own Jack and Rose moment aboard the sinking RDA ship. They are paired up for the scene and have to fight to stay afloat. The stakes are extremely high, and they put all their effort into staying together. The angst was real 😭

Some reflective observations:

— Spider is intrinsically Na’vi in his beliefs and behavior, while Kiri has noticeable human features and heritage. These traits differentiate them from their own kind but allow them to fit very well together.

— They are a perfect example of the classic “society doesn’t approve of them together” trope. Similar to Jake and Neytiri in the first film, but even more so because Spider doesn’t have an avatar…yet. He is fully human. Not to mention the fact that Neytiri would absolutely not approve of Kiri wanting to be with Quaritch’s son. The potential for romantic drama is off the charts!

— And last but not least, the very existence of their relationship is poetic. Their parents hated each other and were on opposite sides of the war for Pandora. In spite of this, Kiri and Spider grew up together and are devoted to each other. It almost feels like fate intervened. A perfect scenario for a love story.

So, what makes all of this actual evidence of a romance developing between Kiri and Spider? The fact that cinema is a visual mode of storytelling. Everything on screen is put there intentionally and serves a purpose to the story. In this light, all of Spider and Kiri’s scenes were consciously written and directed by James Cameron, carefully performed by Sigourney Weaver and Jack Champion, and meticulously rendered by the VFX artists. They are not random, accidental moments. Time was spent planning and executing their dynamic in this film, which strongly hints at future romantic development. I went to see ATWOW with my sister. She is only a casual moviegoer, so I was impressed when the first thing she said about Spider after we saw the film was that he clearly liked Kiri. They may be subtle, but all the signs are there!

Also, I want to point out that unlikely/forbidden romances are immensely popular with audiences. James Cameron is very savvy to introduce the possibility of another one into the Avatar franchise after Jake and Neytiri in the first film. Unlike Lo’ak and Tsireya’s teen romance, which progresses swiftly and appears to be smooth sailing, Spider and Kiri are set up to mirror Jake and Neytiri with a romance that is far more complex and will take time and pain to blossom.

And I am very much looking forward to it!

💙

So you’re telling me Neteyam was holding on his brother’s arm the whole time?? How I’m supposed to recover from this? 😭 He’s holding his little brother’s arm he died protecting saying don’t leave me bro I can’t 😭😭

Neytiri, Spider, Quaritch, and parental love

Spider just wants to be accepted and have a family that loves him. Unfortunately Neytiri merely tolerates him, and his actual father is a murderous RDA colonel.

Spider wants to be loved and accepted by Neytiri. The Sully’s are probably the few Na’vi who genuinely welcome Spider. He feels like he belongs with them, Na’vi. However, Neytiri tolerated him at best. After all, he’s from the sky people, helped Quaritch + recoms learn to be Na’vi, put her children in danger, and was the indirect cause of Neyetam’s death.

Then you have Quaritch. Quaritch desires to build a relationship with his son, actively listens to him, and saves Spider from the torture of General Ardmore. Hell, at the end of the movie, Quaritch ACCEPTS Spider as his son. Unfortunately Quaritch is also a colonel who led an invasion on the Tree of Souls, attempted to murder Jake, Neytiri, and Kiri, and threatened to hunt down the Sully’s and kill them. So yeah…

Spider is in this weird limbo, and I really can’t wait to see what happens next.

Avatar 2 first impressions

Spoilers ahead

A visually stunning movie with three main parts. The longest middle part focused primarily on the world of the sea, the breathing (reminded me of Wimhoff breathing techniques that got so trendy during the pandemic), the environment and sea life. Enchanting water scenes, I loved it.

The tukun whale like hunt was chilling to the core. You get these majestic intelligent creatures being killed for fun, sport and an anti age serum and it was heartbreaking. Like Seaspiracy. Impressive way to remind you what's happening to our seas.

I was missing Jake and Neytiri a lot. I loved them in the first movie and I loved all their scenes, but the focus decidedly shifted from them to their kids, which was...intentional on Cameron's part I guess, but I didn't like it. I'm too old to resonate with teenage narratives and their whining of "it's so hard to be special!" and "they just seem me as an outcast cause of my fingers" was annoying as hell. Like Jake was a Sky person, a human in artificially made avatar body - that's hostility and change your ways difficulty on another level. And he still made it as a warrior, chief and a legend. I guess it's unfair that they were born with these prejudice by no fault of their own...but damn, you would think they would be more secure in their idenity and who their dad is and what he achieved. Torukmakto for hell's sake! (The scene with Neytiri roasting Ronal for speaking disrespectfully to her husband was badass. Go Neytiri. You chose a pretty cool guy.) Human legacy is a shameful thing here with all the terrible destructive stuff they do, but Jake did what he did as a human, he was chosen as a human and for me that sends the message that there is still something good in humans/humanity, with individuals like Grace and Norm and those who fight for Pandora and nature. Like, get over yourselves having 5 fingers or cool powers no one else has.

Spider being a human boy so deeply entangled with the Na'vi culture also seems to make a point about this. Yes, humans are the main antagonists in Avatar, and they do horrible things, but Spider shows it isn't being human that makes you bad - it's what you are taught and what you ultimately choose to do with it. Being a Na'vi didn't make Quaritch a better person after all, even when he was learning a bit more about them.

Idk all these teenage idenity angst was just incredibly childish. Maybe it's justifiable for them being teens and all but seriously, why are you complaining you are special? I will admit they did adapt pretty well to the new sea world. They do take after their dad ;).

Jake has a very interesting conflict going on as a father. On one hand he is the legendary warrior, prone to life threatening downright suicidal stunts to do the right thing or fight to save the day. And his sons are very eager to follow his footsteps and "live up" to him. And Jake is understandably...not okay with this. He is scared. He wants to keep them away from the main action as scouts. Reviewers have been complaining Jake is a bad parent, that he had too much of a military approach and was hard on them, but wasn't Jake making the best of the situation? Invaded and in a secret attacks war on humans, trying to keep them all alive?

His distance and conflict to L'oak especially is reflecting this. Jake is teaching Neteyam right now, having him on flights and leading scounting missions from time to time. He is not ready to let either of them fight on their own, he is making baby steps of teaching the oldest, when L'oak comes with his reckless missions to prove himself. Jake just wanted to protect them longer. They were going at a different pace.

The refugee storyline is interesting and parallels the first movie. Coming to a new place, having to learn new ways and rules, adapting.

Jake didn't bring the distaster on the Metkayina from what I can see. Their tukuns were already hunted for the anti-age serum. They were coming either way, that's why that showed that scene and explicitly said the whole current invasion was financed by it. Jake and his family brought Quaritch after them, but a confrontation would have come because of the tukuns regardless. I don't know why so many are blaming Jake for all of that, he was just trying to protect the Omaticaya tribe and his family, by hiding them away.

Quaritch had an interesting arc. It was cool seeing Spider and the Na'vi way and nature having an effect on him - like Quaritch not killing any of the villagers on the Islands, with his personality and temper? Because Spider asked him? That was wild. And them giving up Kiri as his only advantage over the Sullys in the final to save Spider's life? I wonder if there is any chance of Quaritch ending up helping Pandora or Jake in the future. He didn't mind killing any of the wildlife/tukuns though...

That scene with Quaritch finding his dead original's body was chilling. That final there was epic.

The ending battle was way smaller in scale and too focused on the kids and their inability to save each other. Big applaud for Jake and Neytiri managing to save them so many times though. When it came to facing humans and Quaritch, they both lived up to their legendary warriors reputations from the first movie. Loved to see Neytiri going feral over her kids.

The last one on one fight with Quaritch was awesome. Close quarters hateful intimacy. The way Quaritch was making promises to hunt his whole family down and Jake who was on the leave, saying, damn it let's go now then, was pure moment of awesome.

I love love love that the final final scene wasn't any epic fight or whale attack or a big explosion. It was a eerie sad scene of the family divided into pairs trapped under the ship (Titanic vibes), with the children saving their parents. Jake being calmed and taught how to hold his breath by L'oak, Kiri using her connection with Eywa/nature to find and guide Neytiri out...and Spider saving Quaritch.

Idk it felt right and wrong for him to do it. On one hand Quaritch is too great an enemy to pass up of for sequels. And I understand and sympathize with Spider becoming kinda attached to him too and saving him in naive compassionate human stupidity. On the other I was really hoping for him to die and Spider's move felt like a betrayal to the Sully family he belongs to.

Anyway the kids showing that they are not completely useless and actually saving their protective badass warrior parents was great. I love when the caretaker role gets switched around a little.

Jake kinda balancing between being true to his risk loving fun sarcastic nature and a diplomatic proper Na'vi parent was part of his distance to L'oak. L'oak didn't see Jake asking Neteyam, if the bullies were worse off than his kids and that playful proud smile of his. He just saw Jake scolding him and trying to make it good as an unproblematic refugee to the local leader their staying depended on.

I didn't really understand or emphasize with L'oak feeling like an outsider although that was obviously the parallel that connected him to Panayacan. So he has 5 fingers, cool strict dad leading rebellions and armies left and right who would like him to stay safe as long as possible in a very unsafe world. People say Jake focused on Neteyam too much to see L'oak, but I honestly believe Jake was having a hard time allowing Nateyam to tag along in the first place. He couldn't take L'oak at risk too.

Then again I was really expecting Neteyam to die by the final fight. There was no tragic death in sight to mirror the first movie's structure, the danger was prevalent enough, the kids were being reckless enough...and I don't think it was avoidable no matter how much Jake tried. In war conditions like these, there was no way for everyone of his family to survive. Maybe if he accepted that fact sooner, he wouldn't be so strict with his kids and they wouldn't want to rebel and prove themselves so much. But then again, hard to accept a fact like that. At least they can all meat again in Eywa.

I liked Kiri. Total Jesus/Anakin Eywa made miracle child. She had that special connection with nature, just a shame they didn't figure it out sooner or that she didn't use it more. I was so happy about her controlling the corals to protect her siblings. Go Kiri! Her solitary thoughtful little meditations and connection to nature were beautifully made. Also Jake talking to his daughters was so doting and cute.

Why did they take Tuk to every possible risky place they could find? Did they just want screen time for her? Seriously. "We are going on a forbidden mission to warn an outcast tunkun. Let's take the youngest, most vulnerable and most likely to get captured or killed sibling with us." Pfff.

To sum up, it's an interesting movie with surprising emotional weight for it's simple plot, with breathtaking aesthetics and water shots that made you wanna protect and respect nature so much. Too much focus on the kids/new generation for my tastes, would have likes to see more of Jake and Neytiri, but they had a good conflict going on with their children, the right time to fight and to run and with protectiveness vs cause. It's not as good as Avatar 1, but I have some favourite scenes to rewatch anyway.

Kiri is wearing the same necklace as Grace and has almost identical face stripes, what the hell!!!!!

(images courtesy of LAYON(A) YAYO/Eana Unil/SickDelusion)

I’m understanding Lo’ak’s character much more after reading his page on the wiki. Just how much he comes after his Dad and perhaps feels more like a human in a blue body than like he’s part of the Na’vi. Just how much he’s got the same reckless and stubborn side as Jake to the point where Quaritch easily recognizes him because of it, and how much his and Neteyam’s relationship probably repeats Jake’s relationship he had with his brother Tom. I feel for him now, although his “outsider” arc felt a little groundless. There were those reasons for him to see himself that way, they just were badly established.

Neteyam carries the introspective poise of Neytiri and the more selfless, noble side of Jake. This however makes him appear perfect - we barely know what goes on in his mind apart from the responsibilites he shoulders. I said it before... he’s more of an ideal than a person, and tbh I could not relate to him until his death. I wish there’d have been something to make him flawed, or make him care about something, like riding the Ikran, perhaps? That way, we could have started to care about him.

Anyway, Lo’ak. I really need to see this movie again.

what was neteyam going to say? what were his last words going to be?

i initally thought it would be something like "i see you", but in my gut i was like.. hmm i dont know though. because i feel like jake already knows that.

he knows his son sees him, even with his harsh parenting ways - neteyam knows why he is the way he is. why he makes such decisions and is so hard on his children. he doesn't like it, but there is a mutual understanding there. i feel like it was established from the get-go. why neteyam didn't talk back, rebel, like lo'ak had. lo'ak did not see his father, when he'd try to - his judgment would be clouded and defensive.

tbh i think he was going to apologise and say "i'm sorry". we could debate this for a century but to me, it makes the most sense. he was the eldest son and now he was forced off the mantle due to his fatal gunshot wound. he was supposed to be the next clan leader, he was supposed to save his siblings and get all of them out there alive.

maybe it wasn't the first time he'd spoken out, revealed the depths of his mind in earnest to them. neteyam knows he isn't going to go home - he wants to though, he wants to live. he wants to see this battle through. to be able to stand and realise their reckonings did not fail and now they can really return back home. so in his final moments, he relays that to his father - desperation and wrangling fear in his eyes. "i want to go home."

and neteyam knows with the way his father hesitates but continues to reassure him, that this is where he will be laid to rest. he sees the anguish in his parent's eyes, how his younger brother continues to apply pressure on the wound that takes down the mighty warrior. and his father is saying "it's okay, we're going home." he knows then, eywa awaits for him, that will be his new home.

so he goes to apologise, "dad i'm sorry." but his last breath is escaping him quicker than he realises. and he feels so bad because this isn't what he does? this wasn't how he was supposed to go? neteyam knows his home is wherever his family is, he wants those words to follow after his apology. he wants to say how he should have done more, and how the legacy his father has been paving will not fade in vain. that they'll get through this loss - he'll always be there with them.

he was sorry because this was the first true time that someone had to suffer the consequences of his actions - usually, it was the other way around. and i also think if he had been given a few more moments, he would have consoled lo'ak and told him that it was not his fault. because he knows his baby bro better than anyone, the ins, and outs. what makes his brain tick, what triggers him and what makes him happy. he already feels like such a failure, he doesn't need this extra weight on top of the already impending load he has. he doesn't need to try his best to fit into the mantle neteyam was supposed to carry.

so that's why i think, neteyam's last words were going to be "im sorry / i'm sorry, dad."

pls don't kword me for this analysis...

Neytiri's inability to accept Metkayina culture, and why I LOVE it

Sadly Neytiri didn't play a huge role in ATWOW, which though is upsetting as a fan of her makes sense since the movie isn't really about her and is more so about the new generation. However, one aspect of her characterization that is prevalent in both the deleted scenes and the leaked early script is the fact that out of all the Sullys, she is the one that struggles the most in assimilating to the Metkayina lifestyle.

I adore this detail because it is such a deep understanding of who Neytiri is as a person, as well as a representation of all she has been through in her life. Neytiri, at her core, is a woman that dislikes change and views it as a harbinger of the worst to come. She is a woman that cannot be seperated from her culture and lifestyle as an Omatikaya because of how much of her indentity has been molded by it, and the few times she has been seperated from it has been by force.

For example: her inability to learn how to ride ilu. Riding ilu is essential in Metkayina culture because it is the most baseline way to hunt, and as Tonowari states, being unable to ride one makes you useless because you can't hunt. In one of the deleted scenes, Neytiri is trying to learn to ride ilu with Ronal but can't seem to get it down, only to eventually give up out of frustration. Ronal even makes sure to reiterate to her that ilu is not ikran, and ilu cannot fly, because fundamentally Neytiri is approaching riding ilu the way you would ride ikran.

The obvious answer as to why she does this is muscle memory, to Neytiri this would be like someone who rides bicycles trying to learn how to ride a unicycle – it may be similar, but approaching it the same way will yield wrong results. However I feel it is also because her experiences with ikran and losing her own has made her subconsciously hostile towards learning a new way of riding, because in her mind it is her again being seperated from her ikran. Seze's death was obviously traumatic to her, in that moment she not only lost a dear ally, but was forcibly seperated from a part of her culture and lifestyle by invaders.

So naturally, now that she has a new ikran, even if she wants to learn how to ride a different mount, her body won't let her. Her subconscious won't allow her to be seperated from the one thing she has left from her people since their relocation. I believe Neytiri learns how to hunt with her ikran, developing a diving technique which means she no longer needs to learn how to ride ilu. This not only feels very in character for her, but I also think it's just a sweet way to allow her to keep this part of her while also allowing her to contribute to the Metkayina way of life.

Another example of this is the bombing of the Omatikaya hometree – again, Neytiri was forcibly removed from a part of her lifestyle and culture against her will by outsiders. So her hostility to leaving their new hometree, even if it is for their own safety, makes more than enough sense. To her, she is yet again being ripped away from a part of her, yet again being forced out her culture and made to abandon a significant part of being of the Omatikaya. I wouldn't be surprised if she still struggles with being a part of the Metkayina clan in the coming few movies, because out of her whole family she is the one with the least positive experiences in change.

Throughout both movies, and some non movie pieces of media, change has brought almost nothing good to Neytiri personally, and accepting change has lead to more losses than wins. Her children are just that, children, so even through homesickness, they view Awa'atlu as a new start, because they never had to go through the loss of the first hometree, nor any of the losses Neytiri faced in the first film. Jake's entire character has been defined by him learning new cultures and ways of life, so to him, leaving the Omatikaya and seeking refuge with the Metkayina isn't nearly the life shattering decision it is for Neytiri; he's done it before, he can easily do it again. Neytiri though? Of course it would all be too much for her, and I doubt she'll ever fully integrate into Metkayina life.

TLDR: Neytiri's inability to assimilate to Metkayina life is very in character and I really like it actually. I wish it was touched on more but sadly there is no nine hour avatar cut so that won't ever happen. 😔

I guess the reason I hate the amount of Quaritch thirst, as someone who has many villain/”problematic” faves, is because he’s too real. There are real people out there like him, who are in power like him, and who would do and have done what he’s done.

Miles Quaritch could be a very real person we see in our world. Someone who happily watches the mass destruction and death of a people he deems inferior (people who are also clearly an allegory for real indigenous people). Someone who torches villages and destroys lives because he can. There are real people like that, and that what makes him a compelling villain. It’s also what makes me hate him, and want to see him dead (and major props to Stephen Lang for being able to make me feel that, he’s an amazing actor).

Quaritch now reminds me a lot of Rourke from Disney's Atlantis and how he added flavour to that amazing movie in a great way

A:TWoW is a much longer movie than Atlantis, but because of my initial expectations I'm impressed with how much screentime was given to Quaritch

He's the opposite of Jake in the sense that he lost everything on the day that his human self was no more (while Jake joined the Avatar Program because of having nothing more to lose, and felt more alive after doing so).

When I saw Quaritch get visibly upset as he realized he would never get his old body back, I was pleasantly surprised that he was going to become a more layered character. He showed zero weakness and vulnerability in the first film since he stayed all macho till his demise. Now that we know there was a failsafe in place, he is back in a different body having to adapt to a new life.

Now that he's no longer complacent and comfortable in his arrogance and in his previous faith in his military strength, he is deadlier and in a new 9-foot-tall, stronger, faster body. Plus by becoming a subordinate that reports to General Ardmore, instead of being the one superior barking orders, he is arguably able to do a lot more damage. When he "wears the face of his enemy", he is more cunning and patient, having to use brains and not just brawn.

I like how he has new vulnerabilities (including his relationship with Spider) which make him not nearly as predictable as he was back then: when he was just a cardboard cutout antagonist.

Personally I'm pleased that they didn't kill him off in this sequel, since there are three more movies to go.