Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to make its highly anticipated debut on the 2025 movie schedule later this year and, based on what’s been shared about it thus far, it’s going to be a true epic. The third installment in James Cameron’s science-fiction saga is set to continue the story of the Sulley family and, unsurprisingly, they’ll encounter new challenges in this latest film. Zoe Saldaña’s Neytiri won’t be immune to any kind of problems either, as the actress shared some worrying thoughts about how “pain” is going to impact her character.
2022’s The Way of Water (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription) sees Neytiri going through considerable changes. Early on, she and her brood must leave her native Omatikaya for the Metkayina to evade the revived Miles Quaritch and the RDA. The family experiences its share of challenges throughout the film, and that all culminates in the death of Neytiri and Jake’s first-born son, Neteyam. Zoe Saldaña reveals that her character’s grief definitely factors into Fire and Ash’s story:
That pain is seamlessly followed up on. And because it doesn’t really have anywhere to go, and doesn’t go away, rage can also come from it. [The Sullys] are going to be tested as a family.
Considering how traumatic the loss of a child is, it’s completely understandable that the Na’vi warrior would still be mourning her son. However, what worries me is how that might fuel her actions in this upcoming sci-fi movie. Neytiri can be headstrong under the best of circumstances, so I can’t even predict how grief might fuel her actions. While speaking with Empire Magazine, the Oscar-winning actress also suggested that her character is going to deal with both external and internal struggles:
Not only would everything that’s happening compel her to question the bond she has with her husband but also her bond with herself, her people, her land, and the way the Na’vi are. She’s going to question everything.
I get the feeling Neytiri is going to have to make some crucial decisions, which will likely impact not only her but those around her as well. All of the Sulleys are apparently going to have to lean on each other in a big way in this threequel. The film is set to introduce a clan of evil Na’vi known as the Mangkwan (or the Ash people). To that point, Zoe Saldaña also mentioned during her interview that Neytiri will “meet her match” in the clan’s leader, Varang, who’s played by Oona Chaplin.
Considering Fire and Ash’s lengthy runtime, there’s a lot of narrative real estate for James Cameron and co. to play with. It’s natural for fans not to want to see their favorite characters experience pain but, if they’re going to evolve, that needs to be the case. So I’m definitely eager to see this third Avatar film, though I’m still hopeful that Neytiri doesn’t end up doing anything she’ll ultimately regret.
Avatar: Fire and Ash opens in theaters on December 19. Considering the spectacle associated with this franchise, I’d wager that you should see the film on the biggest screen possible.
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