Avatar before seeing the highly-anticipated sequel. It's been 13 years since the original Avatar came out, meaning that, although it is the highest-grossing movie of all time, many viewers have more than likely forgotten some significant plot points and details. So, here is an in-depth recap of everything important to from the original Avatar before seeing Avatar: The Way of Water.
James Cameron's Avatar follows Jake Sully, a human agent of a militarized mining organization from Earth, as he attempts to help overtake the Na'vi planet, Pandora. In doing so, Sully s the Avatar Program, having his consciousness switched from his human body to that of a synthetic Na'vi body, looking tall, blue, and just like all the other organic aliens. While living among the Na'vi, Jake comes to respect and realize the importance of their ways, turning against the humans and helping to lead a complete human-Na'vi war.
The Avatar Program Explained
The titular Avatar Program is one of the most important elements of the Avatar franchise, so it is essential to exactly what it is. The Avatar Program is what allows humans to take control of Na'vi bodies, with a "driver" (the human controlling the Na'vi) being put in a "link bed" (a mechanical tank of liquid that houses the human body when linked to an Avatar) to connect to a synthetic Na'vi body. When linked to an Avatar, the human body remains in a state of stasis in the link tank, which is why Quaritch attempts to kill Jake's human body inside the link tank in the first Avatar movie.
The first Avatar takes place in 2145, meaning that humans have obtained the Avatar Program and other highly advanced technology. In the lore of Avatar, the Avatar program is essential for humans to traverse Pandora with freedom. Initially, actual humans were sent down to communicate with the Na'vi, but the violent conditions of Pandora's wildlife proved too harsh for the humans. In the first Avatar, Dr. Grace Augustine, one of the main characters, is in charge of the Avatar Program on Pandora. Only a select few humans meet the physical and mental conditions required to be part of the Avatar Program, and Jake Sully is one of them.
Why The RDA Is Invading Pandora (& What Unobtanium Is)
The Resources Development istration is the human organization that occupies Pandora in the first Avatar, with the Pandora operation being headed by Parker Selfridge and Colonel Miles Quaritch. Contrary to popular belief, the RDA is non-governmental, instead being a private company that started in the 21st century in the world of Avatar. The RDA operates a vast space-traveling system, as well as massive mechs, buildings, mining equipment, and more. It isn't known how long the RDA has been on Pandora, but they've been there long enough to have a massive environmental impact and to become hated by the Na'vi.
In Avatar, the RDA occupies Pandora to find one precious resource: unobtanium. Unobtanium is a precious metal that has become valuable due to the drying up of resources on Earth — and Pandora is full of it. Unobtanium is a term in real life, meaning an incredibly rare or impossible material. In Avatar, the RDA has a monopoly on Pandora, meaning they get all the profits from their Pandora exports. Since the RDA has prevented unobtanium alternatives on Earth from being developed, they have a vested interest in the constant destruction of Pandora.
Pandora's Key Landmarks & Wildlife
Pandora is a vast planet with many different habitats, and while Avatar: The Way of Water is sure to show more of the beautiful planet, there are some significant landmarks and wildlife that may be important to . For example, the Hometree was the home of the Omaticaya clan of Na'vi, but the RDA destroyed it in the first Avatar, leaving the Omaticaya clan homeless. The Tree of Souls is also important, being a spiritually significant tree with all kinds of unknown magical properties. Besides the Na'vi, the most important animal is the Toruk, Avatar's iconic flying bird-like creatures that Jake Sully and other Omaticaya clan bond with and use in battle.
How Dr. Grace Dies
The first major death in Avatar is that of Dr. Grace, one of the most tragic moments in the movie. Dr. Grace (played by Sigourney Weaver) is a xenobotanist and head of the Avatar Program who also frequently takes control of an Avatar and lives among the Na'vi. However, while attempting to escape and RDA compound, Dr. Grace is shot, barely holding on long enough to reach the Tree of Souls. There, the Omaticaya attempt to transfer Dr. Grace's consciousness from her human body to her Avatar, but she dies before the process is complete.
However, Dr. Grace's death is not the end of her journey in the world of Avatar. Sigourney Weaver is returning in Avatar: The Way of Water, playing Kiri, the Na'vi, daughter of Jake and Neytiri. It isn't known how, but it is highly theorized that Kiri has a spiritual connection to Dr. Grace.
What Happens To Colonel Quaritch
Another major moment in the first Avatar is the death of Colonel Quaritch, the film's human villain. While attempting to slit the throat of Jake's human body in the link tank, Neytiri (Jake's Na'vi mate) shoots two arrows into Quaritch, killing him. Although he was presumed dead, Quaritch can be seen in the trailer for Avatar: The Way of Water, looking quite different. This time, Quaritch is a Na'vi, which was never seen in the first Avatar. This implies that some big changes happened off-screen, with Quaritch possibly successfully going through the same process as Dr. Grace died during.
Why Jake Sully Decides To Live As A Na'vi Permanently
In Avatar, Jake Sully s the Avatar Program after the death of his brother on Earth, working for the RDA to mine unobtanium on Pandora. However, Jake Sully decides to stay in his Na'vi body by the end of the movie for several significant reasons. Throughout the film, Jake comes to love the Na'vi and their ways, even falling in love with a Na'vi named Neytiri. Because Jake found a new home among the Na'vi and didn't have much to return home to on Earth, Jake decides to permanently live as a Na'vi, still being in his Avatar form in Avatar: The Way of Water.
It wasn't just Jake that accepted the Na'vi, though; more importantly, the Na'vi accepted Jake. At the end of Avatar, the Omaticaya banned all humans from Pandora, with Jake being one of the few exceptions. The Na'vi even help Jake permanently transfer his consciousness to his Avatar, closing the film with an emotional and beautiful moment. The world, lore, and story of Avatar is complex and thematic, but these are the main points that viewers should before seeing Avatar: The Way of Water.
