“Avatar” launched in theaters in 2009, and much time has passed since then. What you need to remember to understand the sequel “Avatar – The Way of Water” on Disney+, reveals TWD.
James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water is now available to stream on Disney+. This is the sequel to the hit 2009 film “Avatar” and even though the film became an absolute success at the box office, more than a decade has passed since its release.
As a result, some might feel lost trying to get comfortable with “Avatar 2.” Especially since numerous graphic novels have been released in the past few years, including plots and information not addressed in the first film.
For those of you who want to revisit the journey to Pandora after almost a decade, we’ve got all the important information from the first film and the supplemental material for you. These are 11 things you should know from “Avatar” before you see “Avatar: The Way of Water”.
Pandora is the home planet of the Na’vi
At the beginning of the first film, protagonist Jake Sully travels to the almost unexplored planet Pandora. This is an Earth-like, distant moon in the Alpha Centauri system. Life on Pandora is difficult for humans because the atmosphere there is much denser than on Earth. For this reason, humans can only survive on the planet with oxygen masks.
The flora and fauna of Pandora are similar to those of Earth, but still not the same. The plants have bioluminescent properties and the animals are much larger than the animals of Earth. The dominant species on the planet are the Na’vi, who have formed tribes and live in the various regions of the planet.
People transfer themselves into Na’vi avatars
To explore the world of the Na’vi in more detail, humans have created Na’vi avatars. With these, they can walk across the planet’s surface like the natives and make friends with the local tribes.
The control of the Na’vi bodies works via a neural network. For the transmission to succeed, people must lie down in special apparatus. These transmit movements and sensations to the Na’vi body.
People dig for the mineral unobtainium on Pandora
In the year 2154 the raw materials of the earth are exhausted. For this reason, people go to other planets in search of new materials. On Pandora they find it: Unobtainium. The valuable mineral can be sold for over 20 million dollars per kilogram.
Much of the Unobtainium deposit is under the Homeland Tree, the Na’vi headquarters. To get the mineral, the tree must be destroyed. The humans send a research team to befriend the resident Na’vi tribe within three months.
They are to peacefully ensure that the Na’vi migrate from this area. If this does not succeed, the humans declare war on the Na’vi.
The Na’vi use a special organ to communicate with nature
All living beings on Pandora possess what is called tswin to connect with each other or with nature. This process is called tsaheylu by the Na’vi. Through this sensitive organ in the Na’vi’s tail, they can communicate with their deity Eywa through the Tree of Voices.
The Na’vi also use their tswin to form an alliance with a mount or flying animal or to mate with each other.
Jake Sully and the Na’vi Neytiri have fallen in love with each other
Jake Sully came to Pandora to take over the mission of his twin brother Tom on the planet. The latter died and only Jake can control Tom’s avatar. During his work on Pandora he meets the Na’vi Neytiri. Both trust each other immediately and fall in love. Under the tree of voices they connected with their tswin and thus entered into a close relationship.
Jake is the first outsider to tame the Great Leonopteryx
Only a few of the Na’vi were granted the privilege of taming the Great Leonopteryx. To regain the Na’vi’s trust, Jake set out on a dangerous hunt to become the fifth rider of the Flying Raptor. With his courage, he impressed the Na’vi and showed them his determination.
Dr. Grace Augustine passes away
Dr. Grace Augustine, the leader of Jake Sully’s research team, was a great enthusiast of the Na’vi and gave her all to befriend the original people. During the war between the Na’vi and the humans, Grace is seriously wounded by a bullet.
Jake immediately takes the woman to his friend Neytiri’s people and asks them for help. During a spiritual ceremony, they attempt to transfer Grace’s spirit into the body of her Na’vi avatar. But the attempt fails. Dr. Garce Augustine dies. According to the Na’vi, her soul is henceforth with the mother goddess Eywa.
The humans destroyed the home tree of the Omaticaya
The home tree of the Na’vi people Omaticaya was one of the largest trees on the planet. It served as the Na’vi tribe’s home and capital. But the tree grew over a huge deposit of Unobtainium. This was what the humans craved.
Since the Na’vi did not want to leave their tree voluntarily so that the humans could mine there, war broke out between the peoples. In the process, the humans destroyed the great tree and with it the home of the Omaticaya.
Neytiri murders Colonel Miles Quaritch
The final battle between the Na’vi and the humans is carried out by Jake Sully in his Avatar body and Colonel Miles Quaritch in a mobile armored suit at the end of the film. At first, the Colonel has the upper hand and tortures Jake to unconsciousness. But the Na’vi Neytiri manages to put an arrow through the human’s body, killing him.
Almost all humans were sent away from Pandora
After the disaster the humans brought upon Pandora, almost all of them were banished back to Earth. Only a few Na’vi friends were allowed to stay and live and research side by side with the blue natives on Pandora.
Jake Sully is permanently bound to his Na’vi body
“Avatar: Departure to Pandora” ends with Jake Sully separating from his old, wheelchair-bound body and transferring his soul into his Na’vi avatar. He undergoes the same ritual as his colleague Dr. Grace Augustine, but with him it succeeds. From then on, Jake is a member of the Na’vi forever.
