Here is something that bothers me regarding the ikran in the new movie. Spoilers for AFAA:
Lo'ak and Kiri's ikrans are dead, but they flew away on three banshees toward the end of the film when the demon ship was getting torn apart by the magnetic field. One of the ikran was Neytiri's, so that leaves two unnamed ikran.
MAYBE Jake's ikran might've helped out (Bob, you're too loyal for Jake lol), but that would still leave one extra ikran.
Were they wild ones from when Eywa heard Kiri? I didn't get a good look to see if they had riding gear. Maybe Kiri summoned them.
My brother thought maybe Lo'ak and Kiri grabbed new ones while they were briefly back in High Camp, but if so, then that completely contradicts what we've been told for so long.
If a Na'vi lose their ikran, they take time to mourn before choosing another. It's said in books after Neytiri lost Seze and when Eetu lost Zomey in Frontiers of Pandora. I think So'lek took a REALLY long time after losing his first ikran if I remember correctly.
But Jim, you're telling me Lo'ak and Kiri chose new ikran in a span of one or two days?
I really hope that's not the case, mainly because it just feels disrespectful. It's been ingrained into our heads how important the ikran are to forest/land Na'vi clans and how the bond is strong between rider and banshee.
Sure, maybe the kids lose their ikran so that it would be one step further into getting more accustomed to Metkayina culture (but that still doesn't explain the two ikran who save the kids at the end of the movie).
The movies would be vastly different if none of our favorite characters had ikran. Those amazing creatures deserve more than being thrown away for the plot.
Speaking of popular headcanons in the fandom that are often mistaken for actual facts, I wanted to talk about Seze and Neytiri and a common misconception of their relationship.
Seze was not Neytiri’s spirit sister. As far as we know, the Omatikaya or the forest people in general have no “equivalent” of a spirit sibling; that seems something only the reef clans have, and we don’t know if the Na'vi form such a bond with an animal other than the tulkun.
That isn’t to belittle the relationship between Seze and Neytiri. I don’t think her loss was any less devastating just because Seze is not “classified” as her spirit sister; ikran and their riders are bonded after all, and we know from Eetu and Zomey how intense such a connection is.
But I totally understand why people are led to believe that. I think it’s because most fans rightfully view the bond between an ikran and their rider as something truly deep that forms between equals rather than a “superior being and their pet” kind of relationship (not like a certain someone that makes a whole journey to learn the Na'vi way and become one of the People, yet still treat animals like they’re something to “tame” – looking at you Jake “you’re mine, shut up and fly straight” Sully). The nature of the bond might be different, but they don’t see it in any way inferior than that of a reef Na'vi and their tulkun spirit sibling.
Also taking the Zeswa and the zakru as an example: they do not consider each other spirit siblings (as far as we know), yet their entire lives revolve around each other. I would never think that the Zeswa’s connection with the zakru is any less important or deep than the Metkayina’s with the tulkun. They don’t have the bond of spirit siblings, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less strong, only that it is different.
But yeah, I get why some fans may think that Seze is Neytiri’s spirit sister. This was just a rant inspired by all the edits I’ve seen of the scene in which Neytiri reacts to Ronal grieving Ro'a; it’s a cute parallel, but personally if I were to compare this moment in particular, I would say that Ronal’s loss reminded her of her sister Silwanin, rather than Seze.
Some of my favourite little details in avatar: frontiers of pandora
The two guards outside the council room in the aranahe hometree that just chat shit? All the time? Even during that last confrontation with Etuwa's father they're just stood chatting about someone's poor foraging skills or some shit it's so funny
The fact that the camera lowers when you're speaking to humans, which I know is probably so we can get a good look at them but I chose to believe it's because your sarentu slowly kneels until they're eye level with them
Nefika and Relun's dynamic of miserable old man and batshit crazy old woman
Whatever the fuck Okul's got going on. Gender? Babes they're clinically insane, they're too busy running into poisonous gas to worry about gender
The sleeping pod things hanging from the ceiling in the hometree. It took me forever to work out where they were all sleeping because there was no way they were all fitting in that one sleeping den
"it is sound proof Priya."
Anqa forgetting her training and getting attacked by wasps because she's too busy thinking about Priya
Hajir and Alex planning to have tea, no one talk to me
Daniella being this very capable badass soldier with a hardened exterior and her himbo husband who's just happy to be there as long as there's wood to whittle and food to cook
The sarentu humming sarentu songs while they cook
Zomey refusing to leave the plane until she saw Eetu get out
The resistance humans wearing clothes that have been altered/repaired by Na'vi weavers
Minang losing her shit and charging the base in the plains despite being the calmer, more collected one? Good shit.
That little detail in the cloud spitter description that says kids make a game of seeing how close they can get to the plant without triggering it
"I can still smell the chemicals" just kill me now I can't take this
Every single individual human having to ask Jake Sully for permission to stay on the planet. Were they forced to go back to the RDA if he said no? Or were they just left to die out on pandora?
The ferals being unable to communicate with eachother and being so angry because they're so lonely
Kin, Relun and the Kame'tire trader all being friends before the Kame'tire were banished
Priya not being able to talk to Alma in her human form because her avatar was her friend
Nor just. Disappearing? Where did he go? Is he okay? Why can't I go looking for him?
The Na'vi naming options for your Ikran being the names of other kids in TAP
So'lek collecting the identity tags of the soldiers he kills
So'lek in general actually. "This dReAmWaLkEr decided to lock you up in a box instead 👀"
Alex being granted permission to stay on pandora because he wanted to keep Grace's legacy alive through his work. Why is this never mentioned anywhere but in his character description?
The comic book pages
The fact that Priya dyes her hair. Are you actually telling me this excitable little climatologist worked out how to make hair dye from pandoran plants before Alex figured out how to eat any of it?
Anqa's fucking "my land was invaded too". Give this head-empty lesbian a break man
Everyone hating Billy because they think he can't be trusted only for him to be one of the most loyal among them
Etuwa's father refusing to fight because he lost his wife, then deciding to fight because he won't let them take his daughter too
"what have they done to you, my beautiful?" Actually sobbing like a fucking baby rn
You know what!! While we wait for you to meet my essentric buddy,(or I just hop on the game and invite you to my world so i can introduce you to him)
Can I ask for hcs on what you think it’s like for our character being friends with eentu?(if I spelled his name correctly)
Embers of Kinship.
GN! Sarentu x Eetu (Platonic) | Word Count: 1120 words
A/N: Eetu may be a little OOC, I'm only 13hrs into the campaign so far... also Zomey lives cause I said so.
At first, this reluctant mentor didn't want much to do with me. Understandable. Just imagine some Navi showed up to your hometree claiming to hail from a lost ally clan but bore the equipment of sky demons and was then ordered by your leaders to teach them the ways of the people?
Well, that led to me camping out at Hunter's Rest just outside Hometree. I squat by the fire stoking the flames with a piece of kindling. My tail wraps around my ankles as I feel the piercing gaze of my mentor... Eetu, wasn't it?
"So..." I start unsure where to begin "What's your Ikran's name?"
"Her name is Zomey, she has a strong heart, fierce and loyal... but do not look her in the eyes" Eetu states as he adjusts the drawstring of his bow. A beat of silence follows before he speaks again. "It is dusk, now it is time to hunt." Eetu orders tossing me a heavy bow.
I feel the weight against my blue palms as I experimentally pull the arrowless string back, the resistance was great. A deadly shot.
"Let us head out while our pray comes out to feed"
...
"Hold it. Then release your lungs as you let the arrow loose. Keeps the arrow steady." Eetu murmurs against my ear. My pointed ears twitched in the direction of his voice as I took a deep breath pulling the drawstring back.
"No" Eetu instructs as his palm comes to my chest, adjusting my torso. "Your form is wrong, we need a clean, merciful kill. Do not let the prey suffer" An approved hum rumbles in his chest. "Good, now release-" He instructs as I let the arrow fly from my empty lung.
A squeal is heard as the Sturmbeast falls and the pack scatters.
"I did it!" I cheer as I look into his eyes for approval.
"Quickly give it a final prayer, let its soul be with Eywa." Eetu ushered pushing me down the roots and to the river bank.
"Thank you for your blessings" I murmur as Eetu walks up behind me placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Let me show you how to strip the meat and pelt."
...
Many days passed, and my hunting and tracking skills became more refined. I could track and kill by myself. I couldn't stop beaming. I felt more like myself than I ever did in TAP. I felt Navi again.
It was eclipse and Eetu had pulled me aside from dinner and led me into the woods. The bioluminescence was stunning. I felt like my early years were stripped from me confined to a tawtute's world. This is where I should have grown up.
"Keep up Sarentu, I shall be an elder by the time we arrive at our destination at your pace."
My owlish eyes were pried away from the flora as I couldn't stop touching them watching them bloom brightly.
"Coming... coming" I whine. "Buzzkill" I mutter under my breath in English.
"What?"
"Nothing- nothing," I call, kicking up a jog to match his pace. We walked for a while before a thought came to me. I smile deviously and quickly tap Eetu's shoulder before darting up a tree.
"YOU'RE IT! CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!" I call as I dash away leaping from branch to branch.
"You and these silly tawtute games" Eetu grumbled before chasing after me, but he couldn't help but enjoy the thrill of the chase.
I heaved latching onto the vine fruits as I slung higher into the canopy eager to escape Eetu's clutches. Our bond has bloomed since our first hunt together. I began seeking him out for no reason. Once you got through his rough skin there hid a laidback and kinda charismatic Navi who I couldn't help but tease.
I gasped as a playful growl was heard from my peripherals before Eetu pounced to make his 'kill'.
"Your'e it Sarentu~," Eetu says mirthfully.
...
"You will be fine. It would be a funny campfire tale of how a Sarentu got bucked from the rookery anyway." Eetu comments on my anxiety.
Today I was to bond with an Ikran and I was understandably shitting my pants.
"Oh, how comforting..." I deadpan giving him a light punch to the arm.
"OW! Ah! Oh, how you have wounded me so!" Eetu dramatically wails falling against the mossy wall and sliding down it.
"Quit being dramatic" I groan yet a hint of a smile creeps up on my azure cheeks.
Eetu laughs as he rolls into a standing position yipping for Zomey. Her cry is heard as she swoops down and Eetu secures Tsaheylu before shooting up into the air.
"See you further up! Just follow the trail and remember to soothe and restrain your Ikran's jaws" He calls dropping a rope down. "This is the one I used on Zomey! It shall treat you well. Hopefully, you can find a bond as strong as ours" He smiles patting Zomey's crest.
I took a deep breath. "Okay! See you soon with my Ikran!"
"You are strong, I believe you can do it!" Eetu calls as he accends up the rookery.
...
"Make the bond!" Eetu cries as I wrestle the Ikran's bound head desperately trying to get hold of its Kuru.
I groan as it slams me against the ground, wheezing I snatch the kuru and bring it to my own. My braid fell away to expose my tendrils. Breath hitching as they intertwine, the Ikran and my eyes blew wide at the connection.
"Secure the bond. Take the first flight! Think 'fly'!"
"Fly?" I call out unable to hear over the beating of my heart in my ears and the whipping winds.
My Ikran cries as it slings me onto its back, diving off the rookery. I yelp as I latch onto its neck haphazardly.
Whooping is heard from beside me to see Eetu follow on Zomey.
"Relax!"
"HOW CAN I!" I squeal as I almost slip off my Ikran's back. I glance over to Eetu and mimic his riding position. I take a breath as my Ikran levels out.
"That's it! Wonderful job Sarentu!" Eetu praises doing flips and tricks around me. I laugh as I urge my Ikran to fly beside him.
"I'm so proud of you (Y/n)," Eetu praises. His smile reaches his eyes as he whoops throwing his arms into the air to cheer.
I smile back and open my arms to the wind letting it whip my hair around just taking in the scenery.
"Race you!!!" Eetu calls and he urges Zomey into the thick of the floating mountains. I laugh as I whoop urging my own Ikran to race after him.
