Editor’s Note: The following accommodates Avatar: The Way of Water spoilers.
Love it or hate it, nobody can deny James Cameron has constructed a novel sci-fi setting with 2009’s Avatar. Cameron labored so onerous to convey Pandora to life that there have been nonetheless many tales left untold, which explains why the filmmaker has been engaged on a number of theatrical sequels for the previous decade. If Pandora can draw us into its alien tradition, it’s as a result of Cameron’s work is fueled by obsession, and each single element of his motion pictures is painstakingly deliberate to the minor particulars. So, when Avatar: The Way of Water exhibits that Neteyam (Jamie Flatters) has 4 fingers towards his five-fingered siblings, we have now a tough time believing that is unintentional.
What Does It Means to Have Five Fingers in ‘Avatar’?
In 2009’s Avatar, we meet Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a former marine who turns into the pilot of a bioengineered alien physique. The avatars have been created to seem like Pandora’s native individuals, the Na’vi. However, since they’re cast by mixing alien and human DNAs, there are some apparent variations between an avatar and a real Na’vi. Some of those variations are refined, like spots on the pores and skin or the presence of eyelashes in sure components of the attention. The most evident distinction between an avatar and a real Na’vi is the variety of fingers and toes. A Na’vi solely has 4 digits, whereas the avatar physique has 5 as a result of human DNA.
At the tip of Avatar, Jake decides to switch his consciousness to his avatar physique completely. In doing so, he turns into a everlasting resident of Pandora, forging a brand new life for himself by the facet of the Na’vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña). Avatar: The Way of Water takes place fifteen years after the primary film’s foremost occasions, and through this time, Jake and Neytiri had many sons. There’s Neteyam, the eldest, his youthful brother Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), and his youngest sister Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li). Jake and Neytiri additionally adopted Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), who was born from the womb of Dr. Grace’s (Weaver) defunct avatar physique.
The 4 kids are theoretically hybrids between true Na’vi and avatars, which suggests they inherited Jake’s 5 fingers. The 5 fingers are an enormous plot system in Avatar: The Way of Water since Jake and Neytiri’s kids have issue integrating into the Metkayina clan, the place different kids see them as freaks. However, even when the film by no means mentions this truth instantly, sharp-eyed followers may discover Neteyam solely has 4 fingers, making him stand other than his siblings. And ever since we noticed this unusual element, we can not assist however marvel why Cameron would conceal Neteyam’s 4 fingers in plain sight.
What Neteyam’s Four Fingers Could Mean
The first cause why Neteyam has 4 fingers whereas his siblings all have 5 fingers is likely to be easy genetics. Since an avatar is a hybrid of Na’vi and human DNA, it’s straightforward to think about the genes that management the variety of digits within the physique competing with one another. If the human finger gene is dominant, meaning it’s simpler for 5 fingers to indicate up in an avatar’s descendants, however that doesn’t erase the potential for a uncommon offspring holding 4 fingers.
For instance, the gene for blue eyes in people is recessive, so a baby should inherit this recessive gene from each dad and mom to nonetheless have blue eyes. However, if solely one of many dad and mom provides a dominant gene for, let’s say, brown eyes, the blue eyes attribute will probably be suppressed. The variety of fingers might work equally. So, Jake, as an avatar, would have the dominant gene for 5 fingers and the recessive gene for 4 fingers. And relying on which gene he passes on to a baby, his descendants will probably be born with 5 or 4 fingers.
Following this logic, the truth that Neteyam has 4 fingers might assist to underline how he’s the prodigal son. Neteyam is clearly Jake’s favourite son and the pleasure of the Omaticaya clan. That’s why Lo’ak consistently tries to show his price earlier than his father and the Na’vi, which frequently places him in hassle. If genetics defined Neteyam’s 4 fingers, this character trait would reinforce his picture of an ideal son. Nevertheless, there’s one other extra advanced rationalization for Neteyam’s 4 fingers: the boy won’t be Jake’s son.
It’s clear that Avatar: The Way of Water is teasing plot factors that’ll be additional explored in future sequels. For occasion, we by no means be taught who Kiri’s father is or why the woman has a particular reference to Eywa. And whereas many Na’vi clans are namedropped in The Way of Water, we have now solely explored two of them thus far. From facet characters that disappear in the midst of the motion to villains who survive to combat one other day, there are various unfastened threads Cameron can discover within the sequels. Neteyam’s 4 fingers could possibly be one more clue of the advanced storyline the filmmaker has constructed. After all, if Neteyam’s fingers have been a pure anomaly, we really feel like this truth would have been talked about in a film that offers with finger-bullying.
If Neteyam’s fingers are a clue to one thing greater, we might be taught additional alongside that the boy will not be Jake’s son. While we get some flashes of what occurred after 2009’s Avatar, there’s nonetheless an enormous time hole to discover. So, there’s loads of time for Jake and Neytiri to separate up and he or she finds one other lover. Or perhaps we’re coping with a love-triangle form of scenario. Or perhaps Na’vi tradition will not be as monogamic as we thought, and there have been different individuals passing by means of Jake and Neytiri’s lives.
The Way of Water made an effort to place character above the story, and that is mirrored within the sequel’s spotless crucial reception. So, Avatar 3 can not simply deal with the oncoming warfare. By exploring the Sullys’ previous and reopening some doable outdated wounds, Cameron can guarantee his foremost character will maintain evolving. That would additionally clarify why such a considerate and cautious filmmaker by no means addresses Neteyam’s fingers.
Avatar: The Way of Water is at the moment obtainable in theaters.