I'm bored and have been thinking about the more "cat" like part of Na'vi/Recoms, and so I offer some Headcannons!
★ Like most felines I think Na'vi would greet those close to them by pressing their foreheads together ♥️
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★ Na'vi of course have heightened senses compared to humans, obviously their ears, but also those big eyes and noses, and I'd like to think this would be something the Avatars/Recoms would have to adjust to, Being able to hear and smell so much more than what their used to, The bright ass lights at bridgehead definitely get to them.
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★ I personally like the idea that Male Na'vi have different anatomy compared to that of humans, their reproductive anatomy would be more "Animalistic" and mostly internal (this explains my other shit-posts about Lopez commenting on his lack of balls lmao) I am a sheath truther, It just makes sense. 😌
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★ I like the idea the Recoms had a small lecture before they were sent out, Like some kind of fucked up Sex-Ed talk about their new bodies and whatever, Though given that the RDA doesn't want anymore " Jake Sully Incidents™ " They do a half-Assed job at explaining the Queue part of it, Basically saying just like, not to touch it—Though obviously this only leads to the dumbass marines having no idea about the neural queues and being even more stupid about it.
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★ They purr, I don't make the rules! 🙌 (The purr is a sound of contentment, usually calming those around, they cannot control when it happens) The Recoms are just like, stunned when they find out, like wtf?? Most hate it, As do they hate the expressiveness of their ears and tail, showing their emotions when their supposed to be all Big strong marines and shit
(Hope you like the layout of this, I get anxious when text isn't organized 😅
IDEA: The recoms just tamed their ikran, they’re getting used to being in the saddle. Feeling free of the RDA for the first time since their awakening, only for Lyle to get the call about the rogue gunship. It’s quiet for a heartbeat as Quaritch processes the information. And the group collectively feel the RDA breathing down their backs despite being countless miles up in the air with no human besides Spider in sight.
Wouldn’t it be super fun if they all collectively decided ‘fuck it’ and disappeared off into Pandora. It’s giving ‘coming of age’, ‘exploring the world for the first time’ vibes, and I am here for it.
Just someone ballsy from the back of the flock (probably Z-Dog) going: ”What if we didn’t go back?”
Quaritch goes very quiet astride Cupcake. Spider is peering up at him, his heart in his throat as he watches the recom school his shocked expression into the stern glare of a commanding officer. ”You want to desert?”
”I certainly don’t want to go back.” Z-Dog challenges easily. Her eyes fixed on the horizon so her confidence doesn’t wither under Quaritch’s gaze.
Fike chiming in with, “I would quite like a holiday.”
Lyle shaking his head. “You’re all unbelievable.”
“We’ve been dead fifteen years Wainfleet.” Z-Dog retorts, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “The time to live is now!”
And they do manage to convince Quaritch. At first, it’s under the guise of getting further acquainted with Pandora, in more intimately learning the Na’vi way. But a week swiftly morphs into a month, and a month transitions into two months, and before they know it, the group of recoms are living solely off the land and are completely cut off from the RDA - Spider waterlogged their comms whilst the marines were bathing in the river.
Give me reluctant guide Spider, turning into an older brother figure and getting increasingly more stressed as the days go on. He goes from looking after Tuk sometimes, to watching several na’vi twice his size walking blindly around the forest like overgrown toddlers.
Just a montage of these idiots learning to live in Pandora. Spider going, ‘don’t touch that’, ‘don’t’’, ‘no!’
Spider teaching them how to fish and forage. The recoms absorbing all his teachings and allowing him to be fully listened to for the first time in his life.
They definitely become dangerous competitive. And shit gets messy with all their conflicting personalities trying to deal with each other after being stuck with one another with no breaks. Growing closer as their own little ragtag family.
Once the recoms get their footing in the forest and the group starts working like a community, Spider gets demoted from all-knowing guide to ‘protecc child at all costs’. Now they can effectively take care of themselves, the recoms remember Spider is in fact only sixteen and not some seasoned warrior.
He's like the collective child of the group. Mansk makes sure he’s fed. Z-Dog touches up his stripes in exchange for small tasks that she can’t be bothered to do, like asking Spider to scale the trees for fruit she can’t reach.
Someone is always there to scoop him up when an animal takes interest in the group. The adult hissing at the beast whilst the kid stares at them like they've grown a second head. The child is just bewildered that he was Lyle’s first thought when the viperwolves exploded from the undergrowth. Spider had barely registered the movement before Wainfleet was snatching him up and holding him over his head, screeching the entire time.
Bonus points if they’re somehow separated from their guns and Quaritch stepped away to refill the water bottles by the river. He just returns to the sight of Wainfleet perched on a tree stump, Spider held high over his head, with the other recoms circled around the pair hissing at a pack of pissed off viperwolves.
Just Quaritch storming back over. Firing off into the sky and scattering the pack like it's nothing.
"I left you for five fucking minutes."
Recoms are like scolded children and he's their disappointed, tired Dad.
Quick characterisations:
Quaritch definitely gives me tired Dad vibes. Usually watches the chaos, is quick to jump in when an external threat or idiot tries to start shit. Very rarely gets involved in pranks.
Quaritch’s favourite phrases: Get down! (often yelled at Spider) Stop that! (he’s definitely slapping Lyle’s hand away from a plant that will definitely kill him) What the hell are you doing? (just standing at a safe distance, arms crossed, watching the recoms fight over something stupid)
Lyle: When he’s not in marine-mod, there is not a thought between those far apart eyes. He’s like a toddler, touching shit he shouldn’t. Scaring any animal he comes across and finding out the hard way if it’s a danger to him. I can also feel in my bones that he’s a ‘that’s what she said’ person and genuinely thinks he’s hilarious.
Z-Dog: unimpressed by everything. Somehow, despite spending months away from the RDA she still has bubblegum in her pack.
Mansk: Quiet. He never ditches the sunglasses regardless of how long the recoms end up hanging out in the jungle. He can often be found cooking or judgmentally seasoning food off to the side whilst the other’s bicker over stupid little things. He’s one of the youngest recoms and is always ready to learn new Pandoran recipes from Spider to widen his skills. Becoming a recom definitely altered his tastebuds and now he’s got to find a new horde of foods he can enjoy since orange juice tastes like ass now.
Fike: Usually the source of the problems. The kind of asshole to start shit simply because he’s bored. The real kicker is that Mansk sets him up constantly. If something goes missing, everyone immediately assumes it was Fike’s doing and turn on him, when in reality it was Mansk and he’s just chilling by the fire in plain sight watching the chaos unfold. (Only Spider knows it’s him because Mansk hardly ever grins that much, but instead of exposing the marine he just sits down with him to watch the recoms duke it out).
Fike getting yelled at by Z-Dog for something he didn't do:
Mansk ominously stirring the cooking pot and watching the chaos unfold across the fire, knowing full well he hid Z-Dog’s utility knife:
· Was one of the youngest of the unit to have died
· Born and raised in New England, Vermont
· He's got some Italian-American blood in him
· Raised Catholic, now agnostic
· Had two sisters, lots of nieces and nephews, no children of his own
· He likes animals, had a few dogs of his own back on earth
· He had a normal childhood, always had an interest in the military, The Marines were not his first choice
· Big brown Bambi eyes and the longest eyelashes you've ever seen
· He's on the quieter side, though he's not as antisocial as people think, Just simply prefers to sit and listen rather than engage in a conversation
· Mansk had always been a good cook, Though he excelled at grilling. He had once gotten a gag gift of a pink apron with GRILL MASTER written on the front, wore it unironically every time he had a barbeque, The unit found this out and won't let him live it down
· He has only one tattoo, A large three headed grim reaper across his sternum
· Mansk can be a bit of a smartass at times, though he never lips off
· He fidgets with his pocket knife, can do a few cool tricks with it
· Light sensitivity, wears shades nearly 24/7, has a deep hatred for the LEDs they use at base
· He's the occasional smoker, though he doesn't drink all that often
· Prager goes by his surname or Andy, he doesn't like being called Andrew, The unit knows this and teases him
· Prager would be the tech guy of the group, He knows his way around a Datapad and systems and shit
· Prager and Mansk are close, Or at least Mansk tolerates Prager lol
· I just feel like he'd have Dirty blond/Brown hair and green eyes
· I have seen someone give Prager an eyebrow piercing for his human design and now that's just another headcannon of mine, Idk about Marines regulations on piercings though
· He just gives me the vibe that hes a dork, idk, like look at him. He's not dumb by any means, maybe just a bit oblivious
· He eats a lot of granola, protein bars and energy drinks, he's also shit at cooking, He can make eggs and Mac & cheese
· Prager doesn't know how to deal with Spider, though hes cool with him Quaritch just probably wouldn't leave Spider with him
