As the Avatar series has expanded into a thriving world of tribes, cultures, and indigenous alien tradition, the amount of time and ernergy poured into every piece of clothing, tattoo, or jewelry seems endless. But as Avatar: Fire and Ash welcomes even more Na’vi people and traditions into the canon, one of the most beautiful details is guaranteed to go unnoticed by even devoted fans of the series. The secret? Let no Na’vi neck go uninspected.
Almost Every Avatar Death is Remembered With One Secret Tribute
The Easter Egg Tradition Began With The First Movie’s Deleted Scene
With so many at play, it is easy to understand why repeated choices, or inherited ones, can pass by a viewer’s attention. And that begins from the very first days on Pandora in the first Avatar movie. A deleted scene cut from Avatar‘s theatrical version gives a deeper look at the school operated by Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver). This outreach began Grace’s connection to the Omatikaya, with a special bond formed between her and Sylwanin, Neytiri’s older sister.
Tragically, the school would be closed after a shooting involving RDA Sec-Ops, seeing the adolescent and rebellious Na’vi as violent insurgents. Sylwanin was killed, ending humanity’s link to the Omatikaya, but eagle-eyed fans will note that Grace still wears Sylwanin’s pendant around the neck of her Na’vi Avatar.
That tradition would pass to the sequel without any influence from Grace herself, as well. The young Kiri not only visits Grace as her daughter, but wears her necklace through the following films, as well. Yet it is the passing of jewelry or dress in tribute to a lost family member, friend, or ally that proves the most powerful. But it also happens to be the detail least commented on, and therefore most missed by audiences.
And if the sudden appearance of Jake Sully in the ceremonial neckwear worn by his rival-turned-loyal-soldier Tsu’tey following the latter’s death pulled at your heart strings, then James Cameron saved the best for Avatar: Fire and Ash.
In Avatar: Fire & Ash, Neytiri Wears Her Grief Around Her Neck
The Symbol of Netayam Makes A Story of Mourning Even More Powerful
Yes, while it is almost impossible to notice amidst the intricate clothing and paint Neytiri wears in mourning, the neckwear worn by her oldest son, Neteyam, now rests around his mother’s throat when the third film begins. This first appeared during the funeral scene for Netayam which closed Avatar: The Way of Water, so the decision to open the third film directly afterward tells audiences everything they need to know about Neytiri’s emotional state.
It’s not an overstatement to say that the collar literally represents that sadness, regret, and loss which weighs on Neytiri for the first half of Fire and Ash, before she turns to fight for her family (both Na’vi and human). But comparing her tragic opening moments of the film to those which close it, leaving her bare-necked as the collar is worn by Neteyam’s spirit in the Na’vi afterlife, and it’s clear there are still depth of the Avatar mythology to dig into for years to come.
- Release Date
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December 19, 2025
- Runtime
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197 Minutes
