Ma smukan, ma smuke! Oel ayngati kameie!
THE TRAILER HAS BEEN RELEASED!! (If you didn't know already 😇 )
You can watch it here!!
Also, you can download the ultra high definition trailers at this site here! If all the technical stuff is indecipherable, just go with the first download at the top. It is the best for most computers.
First, THIS POST IS CHOCK FULL OF SPOILERS, thoughts, etc on the trailer for Avatar: The Way of Water!
If you haven't seen it yet (but it's linked above, so watch it!!) or/and you don't want spoilers, turn away!
I've seen the trailer several times now thanks to a theatre that puts up with my obsessive fangirlness over Avatar, and I am really, really grateful for it. So I have some notes I need to type up and thoughts I need to share!!
So, let's start with how it starts. You know the moment you see the 20th century fox logo, and then Lightstorm Entertainment, THIS IS IT! Honestly, the music hits you first. You KNOW it's Avatar before you see anything. If you thought Avatar music couldn't get any better, somehow it did. The feeling I was filled with is indescribable. I burst out crying on the first note, I have to admit, and was a wreck for several minutes after!
The trailer opens on a familiar landmark: the Floating Mountains (ayram alusìng), with two young Na'vi and---a mostly naked human. Dressed himself similar to a Na'vi, we know this to be the character of Javier “Spider” Socorro, who is said to be born in Hell's Gate, but now obviously lives among the Na'vi, adopted by Jake himself. We know he cannot bond an ikran himself without the all important braid queue, so we can only guess he is accompanying his brother or sister who will get their ikran during their Iknimaya right-of-passage. There are three young Na'vi in this scene, perhaps all of Jake and Neytiri's children as we know they have three--one daughter, Tuktirey, and two sons, Lo'ak and Neteyam. Javier jumps in front of the running Na'vi and jumps again to another branch as the scene fades...
...into a scene similar from Avatar, Neytiri's face slowly comes out from behind a plant, heavily shadowed as she is in a forest. Somehow, she looks older, wiser than ever before, but still distinctly herself. You really feel yourself drawn in and all the memories shared, knowing what she has gone through, sweep through your mind. You can't help but be overwhelmed with emotion as the music hits the perfect notes! You really want to say to Neytiri, "Oel ngati kameie!" with all the deep meaning of the phrase! The scene transitions to an over-the-head shot of a near-shore ocean scene. Sharp eyes will pick up five flying ikran and two behemoth-sized creatures swimming in the water; as the ikran fly, a third comes into view. These animals are familiar to anyone who has ridden (or seen the video of) Flight of Passage at Disney's Pandora. They are the nalutsa, and seem to be very friendly despite their appearance, as we'll soon see...
By the way, though there are 5 ikran, there are six Na'vi figures, a small one in front of Neytiri, so who is the 6th? hmm. I also didn't see Javier anywhere.
The camera changes to reveal our first look at Jake. He looks to the side as he is flying on his ikran, concern in his expression. No doubt the other four members of the riding party are Neytiri and their children. Jake's hair is now in dreads, bound back in a ponytail, and he wears a leather shirt, something a little odd to see on a Na'vi, but perhaps intended to keep him dry. The ikran has a large pack on its back behind Jake, perhaps showing the whole family has left wherever they've been since Hometree fell years ago.
The camera changes again to reveal their destination--an island with large trees whose roots resemble that of mangrove trees here on Earth. The ikran get closer.
As the scene changes over their flight path, you see them crossing gorgeous structures we actually got a sneak-peak of months ago in a concept art reveal. Large rock pools and rounded wood (or perhaps brown stone?) dominate, blocking the rough seas with a calmer ocean on the side of the new clan's home. Members of this clan, the Metkayina, are variously in and around the rock pools structure. This structure we also got to see in Flight of Passage, too!
A quick eye might notice something else in this scene, too--Tsu'tey's bright blue ikran is distinct and unique, and I wonder if it is Neytiri who rides it. We know the bond lasts for life between ikran and rider, but what happens when one of the pair dies? We might have our answer....
The scene changes again as the ikran reach the shores of the Metkayina. A Na'vi blows a shell horn to announce their arrival, though we cannot hear it. This scene also shows SO MUCH. The horn blower, for example, has a radically different tail than Omatikaya Na'vi! His hands are also thicker, as we see later in the trailer as well, something is very different about them. They're not as narrow. They're thickened or elongated on the outer edge. The tail itself does not end in a tuft of hair, but instead is somewhat paddle-lack, actually I daresay machete in its shape! Another striking thing is the stripe pattern--very wavy compared to Omatikaya--and what appear to be tattoos, not paint. The Metkayina are very awesome, so far!!
Additionally, in the scene you see very tiny creatures that look like mini ikrans, about the size of a chicken if you think about the Na'vi being human sized. These adorable creatures are brand new, this being our first glimpse of them. (This might be "ocean ikrans" as some are referenced in the "Visual Guide to Pandora" coming out soon in the USA) In the water near the shores, various Na'vi can be seen on the backs of ilu, another creature we were introduced to via the Flight of Passage ride. And, I have to say, probably my favorite Pandoran creature!
The scene cuts to our first glimpse of this new world underwater -- a young Na'vi child, presumably Neytiri and Jake's daughter Tuktirey, since her tail has a tuft of hair, swims up to examine coral as fish-like creatures swim in a group behind her, showing off their gorgeous colors. The Na'vi child smiles in wonderment--wonderment we no doubt feel too in this moment!
By the way, I'm editing is part after someone noted she had 5 fingers and looks an awful lot like an Avatar we know and love from the first movie. While the finger count didn't bother me (wouldn't Jake's children possibly have 5 digits on each hand or foot?), this little girl might not be Na'vi at all!!!! She does have an awfully human hairstyle, and eyebrows, too....
Text cuts in, "This December," and the palette goes from blue to orange-and-yellow as we cut to an RDA filled operational scene. The contrast is stunning. We see a lot of dug up earth, pallets and machinery. Clearly the RDA is continuing as before. Workers in orange vests and yellow hard-hats walk around as a human (is it Eddie Falco's character?) in a new type of AMP suit points to something in the distance, obviously talking to the men following--a human and two very tall and obvious Avatars. But these Avatars are different; they're dressed in military gear, and one even has a strict military haircut...
Also, this scene shows a spider-like RDA vehicle, which, if you have seen the concept art drop several months back, you know this to be similar in design to a new vehicle that can operate both on land AND underwater as a sub---that's going to be scary!! Perhaps the one in the trailer is smaller and is remote controlled, but in any case, there is a larger version that is an amphibious vehicle.
The scene changes to another angle of RDA operations, and we can see just how huge it is as a Scorpion gunship takes flight. Also, remember the huge dragon gunship that Jake brought down in the first movie? Well, there's another one parked on the runway--and another is seen just as the camera switches again. Yikes!
Here we see Javier, or "Spider" from behind, this time with blue-painted stripes on his back, which I think is a nice touch. You can see his ExoPack, too. He and another Na'vi kneel behind some flora; they're obviously sneaking up on something--if you look closely, there are humans in the forest, with some small, made-made structure behind them.
It's worth noting the"Na'vi" in this scene has 4 fingers and a thumb, so 5 digits appear again. But it's hard to tell who this Na'vi is... a son or daughter or Jake and Neytiri's?
When the camera changes, we see two Na'vi faces from the front, a young male and female. And the young male looks SO much like Jake, this has to be his older son, Neteyam! So indeed, he seems to not only have 5 digits on his hands, but also eyebrows!!
The young female, presumably Tuktirey, has her hair un-braided and with cut bangs, a very human style! Is this Jake's daughter, or could it be the possible young Avatar--aka a re-incarnated Grace?! We do know her actress, Sigourney Weaver, plays a new character in all the upcoming movies; maybe she got a new Avatar, after all!!!
Next, the Avatar guys we saw earlier move under a low hanging branch. We get our first close up of this Avatar--his too-clean military haircut... a tattoo on his arm....?! COULD THIS BE....?! YES, IT IS! Quarritch in an Avatar body! It gives whole new meaning to his line in the first film, "a Marine in an Avatar body, that'll give me the heeby-jeebies!"
The Avatar behind him is bald, with a pair of sunglasses sitting utop his head, and I half joked to myself, "Is it Wainfleet?" Hm, I don't know... maybe it is!!
A quick cut now shows Javier, the Na'vi with unbraided hair, and a Na'vi I cannot get enough detail of to determine who it is, defensive and fighting. Javier draws back on a bow, hissing.
The scene goes from forest-surrounding green to underwater bright blue and we get our first real good look at an ilu as the young female Avatar/Na'vi from before rides on its back. The scene is bright and beautiful and we see a large amount of coral in the background. This is not unlike another concept art piece we already got to see, too!
If this really is Grace, we'll get to share her joy of discovery as she explores even more of Pandora...
Next scene, above water, we glimpse yet-another concept art piece come-to-life: the holy place of the Metkayina. Not unlike the well where the Tree of Souls is, this place also features stunning, very large rounded rocks, but they're all curved downward instead of up into the sky. It is truly surreal! Five Na'vi ride on ilu in this scene, and this also shows a distinct difference between Omatikaya and Metkayina--the Metkayina are more teal than sky-blue in skin tone.
Next, we see Jake with Na'vi housing structures in the background, which look like Metkayina ones. A young Na'vi male who looks troubled glances down as Jake, looking both angry and concerned, comes to confront him.
A young Metkayina female is near him, and she seems worried as well. Neytiri is in the background and stands as Jake kneels beside the young Na'vi male who is presumably his son.
A Metkayina female dominates the next scene as we see her walk, with the camera showing from her torso up. She looks up and at someone. Her hand is above her chest, and here we see that it is indeed thicker on the "pinky finger edge" than your typical Na'vi, perhaps an indication of an evolutionary change towards paddle-like hands, but there is no evidence of webbing between the fingers. Her skin is distinctly teal and her stripes wavy. The contrast in stripes and skin seems more obvious than in "forest Na'vi" like the Omatikaya, which makes sense with such sharp contrasts of light and shadows under water. Her hair is long, curly, and loose, and she wears quite a bit of regalia. Perhaps this is Ronal, played by Kate Winslet, who I believe is the tsahìk. I cannot picture her in anything other than this powerful role, and her clothing seems to confirm it--she even has a hanging neck piece like the one Mo'at wears, except this one is a shell.
When the scene changes, the young Metkayina female we saw in the scene with Jake, Neytiri and their son looks up, worried--and we see something truly unique. Her eyes are blue! Her teal skin and wavy stripes give her away as Metkayina, and her hair is also long, lose and curly. I wonder if she is Ronal's daughter? This, I presume, is Tsireya, the only female named Metkayina child character we know of, played by Baily Bass.
Up until now the trailer has been music only, but we finally hear a wonderfully familiar voice: Jake's, as the scene changes to reveal a male in the water with four fingers (so is it Jake?), unadorned except for a bracelet and tight necklace. A huge creature* swims by, reaching out with its fin, which Jake or his son touches. The scene changes to reveal a shot of the two from underneath, showing how massive the creature is beside him.
"I know one thing," Jake says in the voice over.
After watching the trailer several more times since its online release, and after talking with a fellow fan, we realized this creature is very distinct from the nalutsa. The belly is not smooth, the fins are different enough it is not the same animal, it seems to have a mouth like a gray whale's where the nalutsa is like a shark, and it also has a long tendril originating on its underside. What could it be? An akula? Maybe not, since akula are said to be fierce. That might leave the "tulkun," another creature we have a name for but no other information. For now, maybe we can file it under "unknown/not a nalutsa."
It seems some media sites got the world tulkun when they received pictures, so I suppose this is what it is! Avatar 3 is also called "The Tulkun Rider." Who will that be, I wonder?
When the scene changes again, we get our first good look at a bunch of Na'vi together, I'm assuming all Metkayina. The female adult Na'vi I am assuming to be Ronal is now standing beside the male clan chief, Tonowari, played by Cliff Curtis. Ronal wears the same shell headpiece as in a previous scene, but now wears a gorgeous robe that covers her chest, arms and back. It opens at the belly, and we see she is heavily pregnant. All the Na'vi stand knee-deep in water, and we see a few with wrap-arounds that are skirt or shirt like in nature. Many carry torches lit on fire. It is obvious this is some kind of solemn ceremony.
"Wherever we go," we hear Jake continue...
The scene changes quick to Javier and a male Na'vi running and jumping into a pool of water in the middle of what we know to be an RDA ship from previous picture stills that were revealed to the public on the Avatar social media pages. The "pool" is the ocean and this is where craft can dock on the ship or be lowered into the water.
The next scene shows Avatar Quarritch turning around angrily, and quickly cuts to a child Na'vi, (Jake's son?) crying and looking up. Partially off scene, another Na'vi is being comforted.
When the scene cuts again, and Jake continues his voice over, "This family..." as he comforts both his son and Javier. The young girl Na'vi/Avatar looks on toward him. Jake looks injured and bleeding, but he is alright, and black smoke rises behind them from the water and from off-screen. Javier's blue paint is wet, running and faint. This must be after some battle.
Next, we see Neytiri and one of her children in a made-made structure which is flooding and turning on its side as they slide on the unfamiliar metal floors. Neytiri grabs the child (the young female Avatar/Na'vi?) as they both look back.
The scene changes to what is my favorite in the whole trailer as the music hits a note that raises the hair on your neck! The camera turns from being upside-down as a young male Na'vi touches the surface from underneath the water, tagging a ride along the big water creature's fin (what we think is the tulkun). It doesn't sound like much, but it'll raise you in your seat!!
The scene cuts then to Ronal (yes, I'm assuming here), unadorned but pregnant, and Tonowari. She looks wide-eyed, watching, while he looks rather upset, like he is preparing for battle; he holds a spear, and all the dozens of Na'vi in the scene ride ilu. Many are holding spears. It is here also in this scene we see how obviously thicker their tails are too, than the Na'vi we are used to! The base is about as wide as their arms!
By the way--Tonowari also has blue eyes!!
A quick cut to either Jake tightening a leather cord on some creature. In the very next scene we see him rise out of the water, carrying a gun and dressed variously in Na'vi clothing and tactical gear, riding on the back of another new creature! This large creature rises out of the water and begins to fly, and has a long, narrow snout not unlike the pliosaurus or spinosaurus.
I thought this creature might be* the akula, of which we have the name but no other real information on other than it is "fierce." This creature definitely looks fierce! However, in the upcoming Exploration of Avatar book, it says the akula is larger than the nalutsa, so, hm, not sure what this one is, then! Another "unknown" -- for now!
The scene changes to Jake talking to Neytiri, comforting her, as the voice over finishes, "...is our fortress."
She looks up at him, taking in a breath and letting it out out emotionally, tears in her eyes. The trailer than reveals the title, "Avatar: The Way of Water," finishing off with three beautiful notes of music that touch upon our Avatar-loving souls!
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