An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
back on that grind! 💪 some brief notes below the cut
While Quaritch is helping Spider by training him to fight Na’vi sized opponents, his fighting style will never be anything like a Na’vi’s. Na’vi don’t punch people, unless they’re Lo’ak.
People who read my fic The Stars Still Burn may notice that I’m using the word “breather” instead of “cannula” for the device Spider uses to breathe while eating outside. The cannula thing was a headcanon borrowed from Half Alive by EirianErisdar, and the breather is basically the same idea, I just wanted to change the word usage a little. I still consider this EirianErisdar’s HC. Of course, good old JC (James Cameron) blew this out of the canonical water in AFAA, but I am disregarding that for the purposes of this story.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
chapter notes below cut, may contain chapter spoilers
ending with a reference to the fic title boooo corny cliche
that's it haha. Big thanks to you for checking out my tumblr, I really enjoyed sharing all my thoughts about the development here. And thanks for reading!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
chapter notes below the cut, may contain chapter spoilers
I couldn’t find more than a few words canonically confirmed in the Na’vi sign language, so all the signs here are made up, based loosely on what we know
the great thing abt a futuristic setting is you can bullshit your way through most technology. Why would I know how sonar works.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
chapter notes below the cut, contain chapter spoilers
I don’t think Tsireya and Rotxo are actually horrible climbers, but their lack of skill is exaggerated in Spider’s perspective because of his Omatikayan upbringing. Everyone climbs in the forest, so he’s unused to unskilled climbers.
learning to dive is no joke I picked that shit up late in life
STRUGGLING to characterize tsireya forgive
fun chapters always end up so much longer than the serious ones lol
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
chapter notes below the cut, contain chapter spoilers
Apparently Spider shouldn’t be able to swim in Pandora’s oceans for extended periods of time due to the water’s high alkalinity? But it’s too late for me to write that in so I’m taking creative liberties. Look the other way.
Hometree songs are actually a thing for the Na’vi with lore behind them, it’s pretty cool
Neytiri’s usual knife is obsidian, but this one is a different one for carving, with a stone blade
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
chapter notes below cut, contain chapter spoilers
I want everyone to know that “spider dips w kiri fr” is a statement I wrote in my outline for this chapter
yk I had to give kiri her life-changing field trip w/ spider I couldn’t leave my girl out of the sibling bonding <3 (avatar(airbender) reference in the notes for an avatar(blue people) fic)
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
(lengthy) chapter notes below the cut, contain chapter spoilers!
While this fic was originally meant to be pretty canon-divergent, it ended up almost canon-compliant (apart from events such as Ro'a surviving and Quaritch's death..) and from this chapter on follows a plot mainly inspired by Half Alive. This project started out with no real outline apart from the prompt of Spider escaping earlier, and at times during the writing process I was frustrated with the plot, but in the end, it was an interesting experience to explore Spider's relationship with the Metkayina and Sullies. I hope none of you are disappointed by the path this story takes!
Am I overusing the motif of dead ilu be honest 💜
It’d probably be good for the narrative if I’d killed off Nalutsa but like. Why would I do that.
Spider was originally going to meet tsireya here but I could not pass up the comedic opportunity of ao’nung wandering out at like 6 am to find Spider communing w the ilu and judging him immensely for it
You cannot convince me Spider got enough socialization in his early developmental years to not be awkward around strangers his age. *points to “guys, sometimes it’s not so great to know who your father is”*
Gonna be honest I have no idea where the humans are currently living in canon. I know it used to be Hell’s Gate, but the RDA recaptured that and.. moved to Bridgehead? What happened to Hell’s Gate, anyway? Regardless, it seems like the humans all live in High Camp now. No clue what happened to Spider’s foster parents.
Na’vi don’t have eyebrows but I can still use “brow” to describe that general part of the forehead right?
Not sure if it’s clear but this chapter takes place a whole day after the battle. Like the battle ended late at night and then a day passed and then we have this chapter, there’s a bit of a timeskip
If there’s a word for whale vocalizations I don’t know it. You can only use the phrase “deep noise” so many times istg
Believe it or not, I wrote this entire chapter before reading the fic “Teenagehood” in AlexiHollis’ “Spider Sully” series, where Aonung also teaches Spider to dive. I cannot believe this coincidence.
Always free dive with a buddy and don’t do.. whatever Spider’s doing here. Idk in what scenario you would possibly do that in but the point stands.
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