| AVATAR STORYLINE | | | | the Avatar Program, considers Sully an inadequate |
| In 2154, the RDA corporation is mining Pandora, a | | | | replacement for his brother, and relegates him to |
| lush, Earth-like moon of the planet Polyphemus. | | | | a bodyguard role. |
| Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi) heads the mining | | | | Jake escorts Augustine and biologist Norm |
| operation, and it employs former marines for | | | | Spellman (Joel David Moore) on an exploratory |
| security. The corporation intends to exploit | | | | mission in their avatar forms to make contact |
| Pandora's reserves of a valuable mineral called | | | | with the Na'vi, in order to help establish diplomatic |
| unobtanium. Pandora is inhabited by the Na’vi, | | | | relations to solve the problem of resources and |
| a blue-skinned neolithic species of sapient | | | | end the constant threat of violence. The group is |
| humanoids with feline characteristics. Physically | | | | attacked by a large predator, and Jake becomes |
| stronger and taller than humans, the Na'vi live in | | | | separated and lost. Attempting to survive the |
| harmony with Nature, worshiping a mother | | | | night in Pandora’s dangerous jungles, he is |
| goddess called Eywa. | | | | rescued by Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), a female Na'vi. |
| Humans cannot survive exposure to | | | | Neytiri brings Jake to Hometree, which is inhabited |
| Pandora’s atmosphere for very long and use | | | | by Neytiri’s clan, the Omaticaya. Mo'at (C. C. |
| oxygen masks. In an attempt to improve | | | | H. Pounder), the Na'vi shaman and Neytiri's |
| relations with the natives, scientists create | | | | mother, shows interest in the warrior |
| human-Na’vi hybrids called avatars, controlled | | | | "Dream-walker" (their term for the Avatars), and |
| by genetically-matched human operators. The | | | | instructs her daughter to teach Jake their ways. |
| scientists also lead schools for the Na'vi to learn | | | | Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), leader of |
| English and to interact with the humans. Jake Sully | | | | the security forces for RDA, promises Jake his |
| (Sam Worthington), a paraplegic former marine, | | | | "real legs" back in exchange for intelligence about |
| becomes a last-minute replacement for his | | | | the natives and what it will take for them to |
| identical twin brother, a recently-murdered | | | | abandon Hometree, which rests above a large |
| scientist trained to be an avatar operator. Dr. | | | | deposit of unobtanium...... |
| Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver), the head of | | | | |